October 2, 2007
Free Market Head-Scratcher: Who'd Have Thought, Bargain-Basement Housing Not Always of Highest Quality
The Tenderloin Housing Clinic's properties may be among the worst places in the city to live -- but hey, at least it's cheap! Jeff, the proprietor of the Bluoz blog, recently posted a slew of eviction notices, going back several years; and man, it ain't pretty. Knives, fistfights, spitting, floods and fires, a cleaver, an abandoned dog, ripped-up smoke alarms, garbage-hoarders, broken limbs, choking with a telephone cable, stabbings, and (most shockingly) hateful comments all make an appearance. In other words, it makes for a thrilling read. Curbed SF calls it "Jerry Springer" meets "The Wire."
But like we said: it's cheap! Jeff's been making the most of rent control for years and years now, and he'd like to keep it that way. Well, of course! Who doesn't like cheap rent? What Jeff objects to is having drug addicts and the profoundly insane living next door. So if someone could please do something about those people, then he'd be free to enjoy his nearly-free housing in peace. So, could you get right on that? Thanks.
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aha...that's funny
Ya just can't have it both ways..Pay through the nose for peace of mind,. or don't and stay in the perma-fight
yep, it's true, you have to even pay for peace these days
You need to understand that a public nuisance is exactly that: a burden to the public at large, and a violation of the right to the peaceful enjoyment of one's home. The problems that Jeff documents are by no means restricted to affect only rent-controlled tenants, and they definitely do not take place in a vacuum. The police resources put into babysitting out-of-control hotels and housing projects are enormous.
Regardless of anyone's feelings about rent control, the political issue will never be resolved by driving people from their homes in this manner.
No, indeed. In fact, I doubt the issue of managing these people can be resolved ever.
I think it probably can. I have a document from something called The Corporation for Supportive Housing in NY which is a guideline for non profits just like this.
In it, one of the recommendations is to try to have a balanced mix of people, as in working people mixed with people on welfare and SSI. The reason is that it sets an example for the welfare people and helps keep mayhem like this down to a minimum.
THC does not follow this recommendation even tho it was issued to them a number of years ago. recent managers have never even heard of CSH. I'll make a post about that sometime too, along with a scan
I wonder how much these apartments and rooms actually go for. It'd be interesting to find out that a room in a crack den in the Tenderloin rents for more than a nice 1-BR in Fargo.
It's not hard folks. You have to drive 200 miles to buy a decent magazine if you live in Fargo. But they do have a boutique hotel with massive suites for under $100. So go there on vacation. Unfortunately, we have to live with other people in this world and virtually all of them are complete douchebags. The only thing you can do is work the system (ours is based on $$$, if you hadn't noticed) and buy your way away from the insects. Personally, I think it's a perfect system, with happiness guaranteed to all those who deserve it. Ha, ha, ha. Oh and by douchebags, I mean anyone I don't like, whether you just wear shit clothes, talk too loud, are funny looking, too fat, too short, walk too slow, or do the most insignificant thing that irritates me. You don't even know you're doing it, but I hate you.
The legal concept here is called "quiet enjoyment" i.e. the right of the tenant to have a reasonably safe and "quiet" place to live from the landlord.
I guess the term becomes relative. If you're in a building full of LOLs who go to bed at 10:00 whose worst vice is a glass of sherry and listening to Lawrence Welk every Sat a wee bit too loud, that's one standard. If some 5 acid rock blaring frat boys move into the building causing chaos, they would be evicted ASAP.
The standard softens a bit if everyone in the building is high on crack, shooting each other or having cock fights [the bird type] at 2:00 AM.
If the tenants complain, the landlord must take eviction action or risk being sued or liable for damages if someone gets hurt do to his/her lack of action.
The question is, where do the evictees go? Another shithole room to start bad behavior all over? GG Park? Fargo PD would have them on the lethal injection table in a couple of months, but what can we actually do? Send them to Burma?
Here, I have an update now.
http://www.bluoz.com/blog/index.php?/archives/245-unfree-market-housing.html
I think Matt doesn't quite now this isn't exactly free market housing. Alot of people don't know this until you actually apply for it(dirty little secret). As for the rents, most 10x12 rooms are around 480/mo which is about the same as alot of my bike messenger friends in Victorian flats around the Mission. I pay 100 less tho, because I've been here 13 years. Larger rooms with own bath are now 590/mo, which again, is not impossible to find outside of the THC non profit arena
The "where do they go" question is really a function of personal responsibility. If people are able to function independently in society, they can live just about anywhere. The ones who are unable to function and violate the rights of others need supervision. Places like Walden House provide supervised programs without causing many problems. LA has mental treatment programs in its jails, which apparently duplicate the confined mental hospitals of the past.
The concept of "containment zones" is a form of racism and classism, where certain areas become free-for-all slums, and the concept of equal rights and responsibilities is thrown out the window.
A couple of more answers to questions mentioned above...
THC and other "supportive" housing projects, MUST rent to people who have incomes at or below 50% San Francisco Median income, which is $30,300.00 this year. This is mandated by the San Francisco REDEVELOPMENT Agency.
So, it is impossible to have a "mixed use" site.
I have a full-time job, after a near death illness, and I have been told that I must move out within 120 days.. They do NOT want me to set any kind of example! When I informed/objected to management that no one EVER informed me of an income cap...so I could be prepared for this, I was informed that "no one ever really makes it out of here that way, so why tell anyone?"
But talk about equality should be thrown out the window, because there is simply no way for us to integrate these people into our society -- even a society with as much latitude as SF's.
Talking about wholly equal rights and responsibilities for them is like considering equal rights for criminals, or equal responsibilities for quadriplegics. They cannot be trusted, and they cannot live independently. The only response is to contain them, or to eject them.
Matt-
U are sorta sounding fascist with this last comment...
Hitler said the same things about jewish peoples, homosexuals, and people with all kinds of birth defects.
Maybe someone will out you and nominate you for containment based on factors you would rather not want readers here to know about?
Oh, do you feel that there are there many similarities between Jews and the drug-addicted, mentally ill people in the THC?
I personally believe that Jews, gays, and people with birthmarks are fit to belong in society; but I'd be interested to hear why you think that my statement about the criminally insane also applies to them.
Yes, Your demonetization!
Drug addicted people are not demons.
Mentally ill people are not, either!
It has often been said the mark of a society is how it treats the "least" of it's citizens.
You are unwilling to change you capitalist "me first" position to care for your brothers and sisters. You refuse to take any responsibility for
your selfishness. You need and want more-so you want to ensure that anyone who does not "work" as hard as you is punished, marginalized, "contained", and what? Killed?
peace! Love!
Love yourself enough to stop judging others "less than you" Give yourself a break from juding yourself 2!
No, they're not demons. Just unable to care for themselves. I'm not sure they're even "the 'least' of our citizens" -- do they practice citizenship? Work, or vote, or abide by laws, or contribute to their community, or exhibit basic civic competency?
...change you capitalist "me first" position...
To what? A communist position of "hey, crazy crack addict, come live with me"?
...to care for your brothers and sisters.
If a sibling of mine suffered as these people do, we would have them permanently institutionalized in a suitable facility. But I don't think I can afford to institutionalize everyone's sibling. I suppose the government could tax me in order to give them the care they actually need. But considering the millions that would be spent on each individual, that wouldn't leave much money for anything else.
...anyone who does not "work" as hard as you is punished...
Or, more accurately, not rewarded as highly. Yes, that is how human society works.
...marginalized, "contained", and what? Killed?
What do you suppose would happen if we did not restrict and assist the criminally insane? Would they enjoy empowerment, freedom, and long life?
...stop judging others "less than you"...
You mean, less sane than I? I feel comfortable with my judgments regarding their capacities.
I didn't know about this Redevelopment agency cap thing...Definately something to look into. That sounds like one agency conflicting with another
I don't think there is a "right" answer...THC's hotel/SRO's are designed to be "Housing First" as an answer to not having homeless sleeping/living on the street.
Are the residents still addicted, off their meds (or never had meds to begin with) ...sure they are...do you still see them on the street..sure...do you want to re=open mental institutions and "hospitalize" the mentally ill ???
I attended a workshop last week at UC Berkely and one of the key speakers was a reported from the Post who wrote a book about his experience trying to get help for his mentally ill son. This is someone with the contacts and finacial means. He was told repeatedly by the police and Drs that if his son was off his meds, refused meds or hospitalization there was nothing they could do..unless he tried to kill himself or someone else