Who wouldn’t want to trade a virtual currency for a house? It’s like trading farmville livestock for a real home in Oakland.
“At least 21 percent of the units will be reserved for formerly homeless U.S. military veterans”
The cost to support our vast military power is immense. The war costs are probably the majority, but the non-war costs are also huge, and it trickles down to ordinary people’s lives.
I have a rental unit within walking distance to the Fruitvale station. I have seen the Fruitvale Villiage sign posted on the parking lot for a long time and finally it’s happening. Still don’t know if this development is a good thing. New construction should always be good for the area, but having these formerly homeless veterans nearby may not make that a net win. I guess if these homeless veterans are already lingering in the same area then it’s a good thing.
So, is the area improving? I go to that Home Depot down by 880 there all the time. Are rents going up in the area?
This might happen:
I haven’t had a turnover yet at that unit so haven’t followed the rent trend in the area. The area is definitely improving. albeit slowly. Maybe this new development will be the trigger to move rents up, or down.
So what is the reason the government doesn’t want to build (enough) facilities to handle the mentally ill and instead let them roam around? Is this mainly a cost reason or there is more to that issue to separate them from the rest of the society? Cost-wise we as a society are still paying for them, but it’s uneven so wherever attracts more of them end up paying a bigger share.
I think the biggest issue is personal rights and freedoms. It’s very, very difficult to get a court order to force someone to stay in a facility or on meds. They are free to stop taking meds or leave the facility at any time. The state will take care of the mentally ill, but you need someone in the family advocating on their behalf to get help. Then the person receiving help has to decide to stay in the facility. Even then, they can walk out at anytime.
Asking the mentally ill to voluntarily separate themselves from the society is impossible. I suppose for the extremely mentally ill the state is already locking them up, so it’s a matter of where to draw the line.
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If you haven’t had a turnover in awhile, you may be surprised how much rents have gone up. Come on, the City of Oakland is willing to pay owners an additional $500 to rent to a Sec 8 tenant. Yeah, that isn’t much but when did that ever occur? Never!
Where did you get that $500 lead? I’ve never seen it. I do have section 8 tenants in Oakland and am somewhat familiar with how housing agency operates. I know Oakland housing has come up with new programs to entice owners that they can pay full rent during the down time between section 8 tenant turnover and they can perform section 8 inspection before you find a section 8 tenant in order to reduce the wait time.
Come on, @maluka!!! You mean to tell me, you do not read all of my posts??? Every freaking one, including nonsense crap about food or some OT subject???
Here, is the story again. Aaaaand there’s more as they say. I guess if your apt is being rehabbed and let’s say you did and will rent to Sec 8, Oakland housing will pay you for that offline time. Yes, crazy stuff…
@sfdragonboy For an oodle-producing poster as prolific as you are, only jobless people like @wuqijun and @hanera can afford the time to keep up. I have a full-time demanding job, 3 school-age kids to raise, and a bunch of somewhat vulnerable yet attention-seeking tenants to tend to. Need 10+ more years to climb into your league … 
I placed 2 section 8 tenants in Oakland last year. Missed out on $1k sign-on bonus. What a shame they didn’t make it retroactive … They must have timed the news release on my new tenants’ move-in.
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I’m jobless!!! 
But why are you making life so hard on yourself… 
His comment is bad form. You are gainfully self employed 
Is also a sexist comment. Unsaid is SAHM is ok but not SAHD.
I know… he needs to tend after fellow posters’ vulnerable feelings… 
I am actually quite busy typically at work, but Sir Manch’s world is a a great stress reliever for me. Yes, how can I possibly compete with 3 kids???
Anyway, I seem to recall OHA sending information to participating Sec 8 owners information about these programs way before it was announced on tv. You probably missed it.
I ask myself this question too.
It’s mostly greed, and the fact that I actually enjoy being a landlord dealing with various tenants, vulnerable or not, and contractors/handymen, and everyone else involved in the process. Both my wife and I enjoy this, so we work as a team. One of her coworkers who is not a landlord told her, after learning our side job, that even the thought of dealing with a tenant gives her headaches. That speaks the personality required to be a landlord, and that’s why most people on this forum can come together and converse like we are doing, because we are more alike than we realize … 
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I thrive on being a landlord… every time I think about them it makes my heart sing for joy!!
Oh, your section 8 tenants must be Angels