The Daily Journal has a round-up type of article today on Measure R. It's a valiant effort to stay balanced right from the start
Frustrated Burlingame residents pointed to the perceived unwillingness of local officials to address the escalating cost of living as partial justification for their fight in favor of rent control on the fall election ballot.
But opponents claim the proposal to establish renter protections such as just cause eviction policies, mandated relocation assistance along with rent stabilization is ill considered and rife with the threat of harmful unintended consequences.
Parties on opposing sides of the divisive Measure R initiative committed countless hours and dedicated more than $100,000 in campaign contributions in an attempt to persuade voters.
With roughly one month until Election Day, rent control advocate Cindy Cornell, president of the Burlingame Advocates for Renter Protections, claimed the measure is a response to the City Council’s reluctance to acknowledge the plight of Burlingame renters.
In its effort to stay balanced, the DJ left off one divergent point of view. There are plenty of us who don't think the government should be meddling in housing economics of any sort. You can and should click through to read the back and forth which ends up at one of the most harmful clauses of the ordinance which we have discussed in Part 3 here
Further compounding the concerns of those in opposition is the proposed formation of a rental housing commission, which would be required to keep three of its five members as renters.
Council members, who universally supported an argument against Measure R, noted the commission could be a costly endeavor for the city as it would be charged with setting rents at levels considered to be “fair and equitable,” and could have the power to authorize rate adjustments, establish penalties for noncompliance with its regulations, pursue lawsuits when commissioners see fit and a variety of other administrative duties.
Such authority could invite lawsuits, which Antonio said may ultimately harm the city’s bottom line in a fashion unlike any other city commission or board.
“No other commission has the power of the purse,” she said.
Nor should any unelected commission with a tortured composition have the unlimited power of the purse.
If you oppose rent control try to make it tonight (10/5) to the Fundraiser at Rangoon Ruby on Burlingame Ave. at 5:00pm.
https://www.samcar.org/posts/no-on-measures-q-r-fundraiser-700.htm
Posted by: Mike | October 05, 2016 at 07:21 AM
From the Bizzaro files....SF Sups bully Brisbane over housing, via annexation threat:
Brisbane Mayor Cliff Lentz decried the annexation threat as an “unthinkable” act of bullying...
Brisbane leaders have come under fire for resisting developer Universal Paragon Corp.’s vision for 4,434 housing units — and millions of square feet of office, retail, and research and development space — on the sprawling site, which is polluted from decades of industrial use.
Housing advocates argue Brisbane must contribute its fair share of housing to the Peninsula, where the supply of housing is low and prices are sky-high.
Full article link:
http://www.mercurynews.com/2016/10/04/san-francisco-supervisors-bully-brisbane-with-annexation-threat/
Posted by: Jennifer | October 05, 2016 at 10:30 AM
The proponets of these measures are dangerous in spreading misinformation. One recent example is their protest in San Mateo about a mailing that was sent. Pease note the result.
Political mailers that highlight criticism of rent control as noted by the Legislative Analyst’s Office do not violate the Fair Political Practices Act, a state agency concluded this week. The state’s Fair Political Practices Commission said it found no evidence of campaign violations, concluding that the mailers appear to be “properly identified as coming from the California Apartment Association Issues Committee.” Tenant advocates filed a complaint with the FPPC after the CAA Issues Committee published campaign literature detailing the LAO’s conclusion that rent control doesn’t work.
Posted by: Mike | October 29, 2016 at 07:43 AM