I've seen ads and listings for SF houses in UC ranging up to $4000/mo. These high prices are typically paid by groups of 5-8 students living in the house. This practice (allowing more than 3 unrelated individuals to occupy a housing unit), as Liz Campion correctly points out, is illegal. It is never enforced, however. NEVER. As Liz also correctly points out, it can be difficult to get the higher rents from young families. (I think it's difficult to get that kind of rent on a SF house from "old" families or couples or singles, too. These rents might be realized in luxury apartment situation such as the Left Bank Apartments).
The rent structure in UC is outrageously skewed upward due to the city's lack of enforcement of the occupancy limits. If these limits were enforced, a SF house could not / would not rent for the high prices that are now being charged. ($2500/ 5 people = $500 per person. $2500/ 3 people = $833 per person. Students will balk at this.) It also probably would bring down the selling prices of homes in the area (at least in the short-term). If landlords were truly prohibited from renting SF houses to large groups, the rents would fall, and many landlrods would probably chose to sell the houses (increasing the supply of SF houses on the market and reducing the prices). I think this should be brought up as an issue to be addressed by the Mayoral candidates. Unequal enforcement of the law benefits/enriches the few, and those few are typically (though certainly not always) absentee landlords. The rest of us (residents) are essentially being indirectly taxed (higher rents, higher housing prices, more trash, more noise, etc., often a lack of maintenance on the rental houses -- resulting in lower quality of life for nearby residents, etc.) This has been a major concern of mine for years, and Spruce Hill CA has attempted to deal with it (unsuccessfully) through L&I and Councilwoman Blackwell. It always simply comes to a dead-end. To my way of thinking, this is a major scandal. Who is directing L&I to keep these regulations unenforced? Also, Liz Campion's referal to cabbies who buy and sell Medalions and therefor have high incomes is not typical. I don't know the details of Medalions, etc., but I know they can sell for many thousands of dollars ($50k? $100k?). A typical cabdriver, from my understanding, does not own a medalion, but must rent it. They do not get to keep all the fares paid to them, as I understand it. Can anyone shed some light on this? We can always pick out some specific wealthy secretary or nurse or other (you name it), but this doesn't mean that people with those occupations typically have high incomes. Does anyone have insight into the "typical" cabdriver's income? Finally, David Morse (in "Hack") does not appear to own his cab or a medalion. He's on the low end of the scale, certainly doesn't appear to have much of anything, and seems to not spend much time picking up cab fares.Call me crazy, but I don't see how he can afford to purchase or rent a SF home in UC unless he has large savings or an inheritance or somethng. This info, so far as I know, has not been offered on the TV show (though, I haven't seen all episodes). Neil Lifson ----- Original Message ----- From: "Elizabeth F. Campion" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Cc: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Tuesday, August 05, 2003 9:24 AM Subject: Re: [UC] Movie Shoot in Clark Park > I know that I was able to help one young family rent a home on the very > desirable 4600 block of Hazel for $1,800.00 / month for a 2003-2004 > School Year Lease. Folks should be aware that the City has a housing > code which limits occupancy to three or fewer unrelated. It can be > difficult to get the higher ($2,500) rents from young families, but > neighbors who are suffering from unsupervised "groups" may have some > recourse. And Landlords who have suffered even one horrendous clean-out > / make-ready after a bad "group" may find that staying within the law and > accepting a slightly smaller rent is more cost effective in the long run. > > Best! > Liz ---- You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named "UnivCity." To unsubscribe or for archive information, see <http://www.purple.com/list.html>.
