Rent for rent-controlled properties could see steep increase in Oakland
Oakland landlords can now raise rental fees on rent-controlled properties by as much as 6.7% due to inflation, which landlords can impose starting in July, KRON4 reports.
However, one Oakland City Councilmember is pushing back against the increase in rent for rent-controlled properties. Councilmember Carroll Fife is proposing that the city adjust the criteria for imposing rent increases for rent-controlled properties.
Fife proposed that the city limit rent increases to 60% of the increased consumer price index or a maximum of 3% – whichever is lower.
“We can not see this happening and continue to think that tenants can endure this record high allowable rent increase,” Fife said.
Fife’s proposal has garnered support from the Oakland Tenants Union who said the proposal will go far in preventing steep rent increases going forward.
“Not only would it cap it so this year’s would be half of what it would be originally but it would change the formula to calculate the formula to be more in line with cities like Berkeley and San Francisco,” said Emily Wheeler with the Oakland Tenants Union.
Bay Area cities see steep increase in homelessness in latest point-in-time survey
Alameda County, in the latest point-in-time survey of homelessness in the area, revealed a 22% increase with Contra Costa County reporting a 35% increase. The survey was canceled in 2021 due to the pandemic, NBC reports.
The largest county in the region, Santa Clara County, saw a 3% increase in homelessness since 2019.
Over 35,000 people were reported as experiencing homelessness in the nine-county region during the latest survey completed in late February.
Oakland city officials have pointed to a steep increase in the number of area residents who began living in vehicles – up by 40% with an additional 53% increase in the number of unhoused residents enrolled in shelter programs.
However, San Francisco reported a decline in homelessness by 3.5%. The city reported that the number of unhoused residents in San Francisco is now at 7,754 – down from the 8,035 reported in 2019.
San Francisco Mayor London Breed credits the reduction in unhoused residents to the increase in programs and resources provided by her administration.
Oakland’s Goapele to perform at Jack London Square this week
Goapele will perform at Yoshi’s at Jack London Square this Thursday – marking her first concert in three years, Oaklandside reports.
Goapele will perform four shows at Yoshi’s running May 19-22.
While she moved to Los Angeles 10 years ago, Goapele’s musical roots are set in Oakland. She’s performed with artists such as E40, Hieroglyphics, The Grouch, Zion-I and many others.
Comments / 1