They pushed for rent control here in Mtn. View, Ca. near Google’s headquarters, and got it…..Trouble is, they did so AFTER the rents rose to some of the highest in the country. Locking the barn door after the horses have run away, I guess.
I had a wonderful rent controlled apartment in Greenwich Village, NYC back in the 60’s. We paid an exorbitant $89.72 a month rent for many years.
Eventually, after several attempts by the landlord’s crazy son to get rid of the tenants – including cutting off the heat and hot water to the building in the dead of winter and several failed attempts at arson – the city dropped the rent to $2.49 a month ( I never understood where they came up with the odd rental amounts ).
We formed a co op and got the ten unit building declared an historical landmark ( It had, been, among other things, part of a Civil War hospital ) and forced the landlord ( through the city ) to sell the building to the tenants for 100K !
I’m guessing that monthly rental for an apartment like mine, in the West Village, would run $2,000 or more, nowadays.
It was normal on the news to hear members of Rent Control Boards say that if both sides (landlords and tenents) were complaining then they had probably gotten the balance right for what percentage increases could happen. The aim was to not gouge anyone. At times it went a little one way or a little the other way, and at times landlords abused ill conceived added clauses to sell apartments out from under people, but a good amount of the time it actually worked.
Getting away from rent control and on to earthquakes…I remember a PBS special on the Forbidden City and they showed how the Chinese had built it out of wood with tight fitting but not otherwise fastened joints – and their model withstands a 10.0 plus earthquake. Really Cool
Rent control, at least in NYC, was instituted to help families during the anticipated post-war inflation. Once in place it was never possible to eliminate it. Attrition has largely taken care of rent control , but it has left NYC with the horror of a few lucky folks with minimal rent, and astronomical rents for the rest of tenants, as the landlords are trying to make up for years of below market rent. Worst thing that was ever done. Before WWII, rents were low and housing was easily available.
BE THIS GUY over 6 years ago
The earthquake was probably “created” by real estate developers.
Enter.Name.Here over 6 years ago
They pushed for rent control here in Mtn. View, Ca. near Google’s headquarters, and got it…..Trouble is, they did so AFTER the rents rose to some of the highest in the country. Locking the barn door after the horses have run away, I guess.
Rosette over 6 years ago
Um, what are ‘rent-controlled apartments’?
Linguist over 6 years ago
I had a wonderful rent controlled apartment in Greenwich Village, NYC back in the 60’s. We paid an exorbitant $89.72 a month rent for many years.
Eventually, after several attempts by the landlord’s crazy son to get rid of the tenants – including cutting off the heat and hot water to the building in the dead of winter and several failed attempts at arson – the city dropped the rent to $2.49 a month ( I never understood where they came up with the odd rental amounts ).
We formed a co op and got the ten unit building declared an historical landmark ( It had, been, among other things, part of a Civil War hospital ) and forced the landlord ( through the city ) to sell the building to the tenants for 100K !
I’m guessing that monthly rental for an apartment like mine, in the West Village, would run $2,000 or more, nowadays.
SusanSunshine Premium Member over 6 years ago
Um… Be This Guy….. I don’t have a lotta love for real estate developers….
but I’ve been through earthquakes.
I remember one in San Francisco, in the 1970s, and watching buildings rock.
I was at work during the huge Loma Prieta quake, in ‘89, that destroyed the fictional Andy’s apartment….
though I was about 50 miles further north, feeling a whole mall shaking.
A second cousin and her husband, watching TV coverage, saw their newly inherited small apartment building collapse into a pile of rubble.
Hard for me to imagine how developers did that!
Honorable Mention In The Banjo Toss Premium Member over 6 years ago
The counselor bears a certain resemblance to “Fresh Air” host Terry Gross.
SukieCrandall Premium Member over 6 years ago
It was normal on the news to hear members of Rent Control Boards say that if both sides (landlords and tenents) were complaining then they had probably gotten the balance right for what percentage increases could happen. The aim was to not gouge anyone. At times it went a little one way or a little the other way, and at times landlords abused ill conceived added clauses to sell apartments out from under people, but a good amount of the time it actually worked.
BagHolder5150 over 6 years ago
Getting away from rent control and on to earthquakes…I remember a PBS special on the Forbidden City and they showed how the Chinese had built it out of wood with tight fitting but not otherwise fastened joints – and their model withstands a 10.0 plus earthquake. Really Cool
Stream of conscience over 6 years ago
Rent control, at least in NYC, was instituted to help families during the anticipated post-war inflation. Once in place it was never possible to eliminate it. Attrition has largely taken care of rent control , but it has left NYC with the horror of a few lucky folks with minimal rent, and astronomical rents for the rest of tenants, as the landlords are trying to make up for years of below market rent. Worst thing that was ever done. Before WWII, rents were low and housing was easily available.