LAist: LAist Guide to the Primary: Proposition 98

pstahl

Mon, 19 May 2008 14:30:07 -0800

The HJTA quote is a beaut: The great risk for thousands losing their rent controlled home is if the opponents of Proposition 98 are allowed to seize and bulldoze them and replace rent controlled homes with strip malls.The shows just how laughable it is to conflate eminent-domain seizures and rent control. Am I really supposed to believe that failure of Prop 98 will cause my rent-controlled apartment to be condemned by the city so it can be sold to a shopping center developer? My landlord is quite capable of selling my building to a developer without any help from eminent domain, thank you.Prop 98 really needs to be split into two measures. The first, limiting use of eminent domain, is actually accomplished by Prop 99. Vote for that. The second, abolishing rent control, is selfish and dangerous. As Jeremy himself wrote, assage of 98 is vital Assage indeed. See more at Pete Rates the Propositions, peterates.com

Jeremy Oberstein

Fri, 16 May 2008 23:18:49 -0800

So, my main reason for doing these guides is not to sway people one way or another but to provide some impartial background so people can make an informed decision. Clearly the LAist community is pretty opposed to this, as the poll shows, and that's fine. But for me to come out strongly against this or any measure would be irresponsible on my part without first informing people what the hell is going on. There are two sides to every story, even if you feel one is shit colored.

ptroon

Fri, 16 May 2008 09:51:44 -0800

It is false to say that 98 will throw seniors out of their low income housing. LA City rent control currently allows landlords to raise the rent of any units when a tenant moves out. That will not change if 98 is passed. What 98 (but not 99) will prevent is the city condeming, in the name of 'economic development' large swatches of south central LA and giving it to a developer with promises of 'redevelopment'. Politico's love to do this to help out their developer friends. Prop 98 will, however, prevent new rent control legislation and thus give landlords more incentive to build housing for low income renters. As things stand now, builders prefer to build high rent units because those are unlikely to be effected by future rent control. It's the law of unintended consequences. The road to hell is paved with good intentions. paul

bbkong

Thu, 15 May 2008 22:14:18 -0800

Another scam due to the flaws in our proposition system which should have worked better than it has. "Here, all the free bananas you want/ but we can house monkeys in your front room." Too many of these props are sleight of hand with ulterior motives.

carlosthedwarf

Thu, 15 May 2008 15:54:58 -0800

I'm really surprised LAist isn't ripping this prop to shreds. VOTE NO on 98, people!

dfd

Thu, 15 May 2008 11:08:53 -0800

Prop 98 is a well funded scam by commercial property owners to obliterate rent control and renters rights under the guise of eminent domain. If passed, it would make living in LA exponentially harder for most renters. There's a good chance that means you, so Vote No! I'm shocked that LAist hasn't taken a more vocal stand against this - like the proposition itself, the words "rent control" aren't even mentioned above the jump in this article. For a prior LAist take on the fraud, um, I mean proposition, check out: http://laist.com/2008/01/30/california_rent_control.php