Re: [Mpls] Rent Control Comprimise

[Brandon Lacy]

That is definately something I could get behind. My rent has gone up 10% in 
the last year, and it would have gone up more, but I told my landlord flatly 
that should he raise the rent again I would move out promptly thereafter. 
Since he values longevity in tenants (and also likes to keep a hold of good 
tenants) he halved the rent increase. He cited an increase in property taxes 
as his reason for raising rent. While I definately feel for him, I also 
fully expect that landlords will not pass the entire burden of their tax 
increase on to their renters. But that, of course, presupposes that 
landlords that live in a community are invested in keeping good people in 
those communities as well. Since I am in category of having recently 
completed college, and I have the large student loan bills to pay back, 
increases in rent, even small increases, can have a large impact on my 
ability to stay in a given place.

As it is, after reassesing my finances, and also noting that there are quite 
a few landlords in the city that are responding to the drastic increase in 
vacancy rates by offering some pretty sweet deals on rent, I have chosen to 
leave my apartment in the neighborhood that I love for a more affordable 
place to live which may end up being outside of Powderhorn.

-Brandon Lacy Campos
-Powderhorn Park


Chair
National Lavender Green Caucus
Green Party of the United States
Lavender Greens: www.lavendergreens.org
BrownTones: http://galileo.spaceports.com/~brandonl/
YouthAction: www.youthaction.net




From: "Aaron Neumann" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: [Mpls] Rent Control Comprimise
Date: Thu, 31 Jul 2003 13:28:19 -0500
A friend of mine had her lease run out at her old apartment near the Uptown 
area.  Her landlord (a property managment company) wanted to renew her 
lease but raise her rent on her small one-bedroom from $575 to $775 - $200! 
 She moved, of course (to St. Paul)

When I was knocking on doors for Rep. Karen Clark (in 2000) this issue came 
up more than once.  It was usually, young, educated people like my friend 
who are just "starting out" with car payments and huge student loans who 
felt that the rent raises were just too hefty to afford.

I realize that property owners who rent out thier units have a mortgage and 
property taxes to pay, but given the economy (lowest interest rates in 
history,  housing shortage, budget cuts and possible property tax 
increases) isn't there some measure that could be taken to temporarily ease 
the rapidly rising rent burden and at the same time ensure that property 
owners continue to have a succesful business?

I think there is.  Why not a poperty tax freeze (like my State Senator, 
Larry Pogimiller, suggested this last legislative session) but coupled with 
a rent freeze (hey, seems like everything is getting "frozen" these days, 
i.e. wages, benefits, hiring, etc). until the city meets an "x-number" of 
affordable housing units?

It seems that everyone makes out ok, especially those most in need.

Aaron Neumann
Holland
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