#stockton tenant rights

[whiteysgame]

Elevate Your Investments with Utopia Property Management Stockton

In the ever-evolving world of real estate, the key to successful property ownership lies in effective management. If you're a property owner in Stockton, California, looking to elevate your investments to new heights, Utopia Property Management Stockton is your strategic partner.

In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the distinctive features and services that set Utopia apart, demonstrating how entrusting your properties to our expertise can optimize your returns and redefine your investment experience.

Unmatched Expertise in Stockton Real Estate

1. Local Insight and Experience

Utopia Property Management Stockton real estate market is unique, influenced by local economic factors, community dynamics, and evolving trends. Utopia Property Management Stockton brings unmatched local insight and experience to the table, ensuring that your properties are managed with a deep understanding of the specific challenges and opportunities in the Stockton market.

2. Comprehensive Property Management Solutions

Utopia's approach to property management is holistic, covering every aspect of property ownership. From tenant acquisition to financial management and property maintenance, our comprehensive solutions are designed to provide you with a hassle-free and rewarding investment experience.

Key Features of Utopia Property Management Stockton

1. Tenant Acquisition and Retention

Our dedicated team excels in tenant acquisition and retention strategies. Through targeted marketing, rigorous tenant screening, and personalized leasing approaches, we ensure that your properties remain occupied by reliable tenants, minimizing vacancies and maximizing your rental income.

2. Rent Optimization

Setting the right rental rates is crucial for attracting quality tenants while maximizing your return on investment. Utopia Property Management Stockton conducts thorough market analyses to determine optimal rental prices, keeping your properties competitive and lucrative in the Stockton rental market.

3. Proactive Property Maintenance

Preserving the value of your investment requires proactive property maintenance. Utopia's team conducts regular inspections, addresses maintenance issues promptly, and implements preventative measures to ensure your properties remain in top condition, enhancing their long-term value.

4. Transparent Financial Reporting

Understanding the financial performance of your investment is essential. Utopia Property Management Stockton provides transparent and detailed financial reporting, giving you insights into income and expenses, allowing you to make informed decisions about your properties.

The Utopia Advantage

1. Cutting-Edge Technology Integration

Utopia Property Management Stockton leverages cutting-edge technology to enhance communication, streamline processes, and provide real-time reporting. Our online portal gives you convenient access to important information about your properties, ensuring transparency and efficiency in every interaction.

2. Customized Service Packages

Recognizing that each property is unique, Utopia offers customized service packages tailored to your specific needs and investment goals. Whether you have a single-family home, multi-unit complex, or commercial property, our flexible service options allow you to choose the level of management that aligns with your vision.

Choosing Utopia Property Management Stockton

1. Reputation and References

Utopia Property Management has built a strong reputation for excellence in property management. Our track record and satisfied clients speak to the quality of our services. Feel free to ask for references to learn more about how Utopia has successfully managed properties similar to yours.

2. Local Presence and Community Involvement

Our local presence in Stockton goes beyond property management. We are actively involved in the community, staying connected with local developments and maintaining a pulse on the city's growth. This local engagement allows us to adapt our strategies to the evolving needs of the Stockton real estate market.

Conclusion

Elevate your investments with Utopia Property Management Stockton and experience a new standard in property management. Whether you're a seasoned investor or a first-time property owner, our local expertise, comprehensive solutions, and commitment to excellence position us as the ideal partner to optimize your returns and streamline your investment journey.

Trust Utopia Property Management Stockton to unlock the full potential of your properties in the dynamic and competitive Stockton real estate market. Partner with us and elevate your investments to new heights.

[voidqueenbyers]

Maximize Returns: Property Management Services in Stockton

Maximize Returns: Property Management Services in Stockton

Investing in real estate is a promising venture, but the key to success lies not only in property ownership but also in effective management. If you're a property owner in Stockton, California, the path to maximizing returns involves enlisting the services of a reliable and professional property management team. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the myriad benefits of property management services in Stockton and how they play a pivotal role in optimizing the returns on your real estate investments.

The Stockton Real Estate Landscape

Property Management Stockton , with its diverse neighborhoods and growing economy, offers a wealth of opportunities for property investors.

However, navigating the local real estate market requires a nuanced understanding of the area's trends, tenant preferences, and economic factors.

Property management services in Stockton bridge this knowledge gap, providing property owners with a strategic advantage in maximizing returns.

Key Benefits of Property Management Services in Stockton

1. Strategic Tenant Acquisition:

Property management services in Stockton excel in strategic tenant acquisition.

Through targeted marketing and comprehensive tenant screening, they ensure your property is occupied by reliable tenants, minimizing vacancies and optimizing rental income.

2. Rent Optimization:

Setting the right rental rates is crucial for attracting tenants and maximizing returns.

Property management services conduct thorough market analyses, ensuring that your property remains competitive in the Stockton rental market.

3. Proactive Property Maintenance:

Regular property maintenance is essential for preserving its value and keeping tenants satisfied.

Property management teams in Stockton implement proactive maintenance strategies, addressing issues promptly to prevent costly repairs and maintain a positive tenant experience.

4. Local Market Expertise:

A property management team with local expertise understands the unique dynamics of the Stockton real estate market.

They leverage this knowledge to tailor their services, ensuring that your investment strategy aligns with the specific trends and opportunities in Stockton.

5. Financial Management and Reporting:

Transparent financial reporting is crucial for tracking your investment's performance.

Property management services provide detailed financial statements, including income and expenses, giving you a clear overview of your property's financial health.

Choosing the Right Property Management Partner in Stockton

1. Local Experience:

Opt for a property management company with a proven track record in Stockton.

Local experience ensures that the team is well-versed in the nuances of the market and can navigate challenges effectively.

2. Client References:

Research client references to gauge the satisfaction of property owners who have utilized the services.

A reputable property management company will have positive testimonials from satisfied clients.

3. Technology Integration:

A forward-thinking property management company leverages technology for efficient communication and streamlined processes.

Look for a partner that integrates technology to enhance the overall property management experience.

4. Customized Service Packages:

Every property is unique, and a flexible property management company offers customized service packages.

Choose a partner that tailors its services to meet the specific needs and goals of your investment portfolio.

Conclusion

In conclusion, maximizing returns on your Stockton real estate investments requires a strategic and proactive approach to property management. By enlisting the services of a reputable property management team, you position yourself for success in this dynamic market.

Choose a partner with local expertise, a commitment to transparency, and a track record of delivering results. With the right property management services in Stockton, you can confidently navigate the complexities of property ownership and optimize the returns on your investment portfolio.

[tenantrightslawyer]

Stockton Tenants Facing Retaliation for Reporting Habitability Issues: Sue Your Landlord

Stockton tenants are entitled to habitable homes.  Not only does California law require landlords to make repairs, but the Stockton Residential Rental Unit Inspection and Maintenance Ordinance, codified at Chapter 8.32 of the Stockton Municipal Code, also ensures Stockton tenants obtain repairs when living with intractable habitable issues.  To eliminate blighted housing and enhance the quality of life for Stockton tenants, the Ordinance prohibits retaliation for requesting repairs, specifies standards for handling repairs, and provides relocation for displacements caused by repair work.

Where a Stockton tenant suffers landlord retaliation for reporting uninhabitable conditions to Stockton Code Enforcement – resulting in a Notice of Violation – the tenant has a legal claim for money damages.  The Stockton tenant may sue the landlord in court.  Suffering landlord retaliation for reporting uninhabitable conditions in your home?  Contact Astanehe Law today!

Does the Stockton Residential Rental Unit Inspection and Maintenance Ordinance Cover My Unit?

The Stockton Residential Rental Unit Inspection and Maintenance Ordinance covers all residential rental units in the City of Stockton, including rooming and boarding houses with three (3) units or more on one site.  Stockton Municipal Code § 8.32.030.  The Ordinance also covers parking lots, driveways, landscaping, accessory structures, fences, walls, swimming pools, hot tubs, and spas.

The Stockton Residential Rental Unit Inspection Maintenance Ordinance exempts units in the following buildings:

Hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, and similar occupancies;

Newly constructed buildings with four (4) or more rental units that are not yet five (5) years old, as measured from the date the certificate of occupancy is issued by the City of Stockton Building Division; and,

Subsidized residential rental units that the government annually inspects.  Stockton Municipal Code §§ 8.32.030, 8.32.120.

Please note that the exemption for newly constructed buildings and subsidized units does not apply where the landlord fails any inspection required by the Stockton Residential Rental Unit Inspection and Maintenance Ordinance.  Stockton Municipal Code § 8.32.120.

Does the Stockton Residential Rental Unit Inspection and Maintenance Ordinance Protect Subtenants?

Yes, subtenants and any person occupying a rental unit is covered under the Stockton Residential Rental Unit Inspection and Maintenance Ordinance.  Stockton Municipal Code § 8.32.040.

Does the Stockton Residential Rental Unit Inspection and Maintenance Ordinance Apply to Property Managers?

Yes, the Stockton Residential Rental Unit Inspection and Maintenance Ordinance applies to property managers.  Stockton Municipal Code § 8.32.040.  Specifically, the Ordinance applies to property owners and any person, entity, or group that oversees the day-to-day property operations, including handling applications, repairs, and collecting rent.

What Does the Stockton Residential Rental Unit Inspection and Maintenance Ordinance Require? 

To comply with the Stockton Residential Rental Unit Inspection and Maintenance Ordinance, the landlord must:

Permit the City of Stockton to inspect their rental units at least once every four (4) years, except if the rental unit is covered under the self-certification program or exempt from the Ordinance; and,

Maintain covered rental units in a habitable condition that complies with applicable State Housing Law, and the Stockton Municipal Code, including the Uniform Code for the Abatement of Dangerous Buildings, and the City of Stockton’s maintenance standards checklist.  Stockton Municipal Code §§ 8.32.050, 8.32.070.

The landlord is permitted to patriciate in the self-certification program where they maintain the rental unit and no existing violations of state or Stockton law exist.  Stockton Municipal Code § 8.32.060.   Under the self-certification program, the landlord will be able to conduct property inspections to satisfy the Stockton Residential Rental Unit Inspection and Maintenance Ordinance, and certify that the unit complies with the law.  Where the City of Stocktonreceives a complaint, and determines the complaint is valid, the landlord can no longer participate in the self-certification program.  They will also be assessed a penalty, charged an inspection fee, and ineligible to re-apply for the self-certification program until the rental unit passes inspection or twelve (12) months.  Alternatively, the landlord may participate in a four (4) hour course, pays all penalties and fees due, and corrects all outstanding violations.  If the landlord or property manager is disqualified from self-certification three times, they become prohibited from participating in the self-certification program for four (4) years.

Will I Receive a Notice Before the City of Stockton Inspects My Home? 

Yes, before a City inspection, the City of Stockton will notify your landlord and you.  Stockton Municipal Code § 8.32.080.  The City of Stockton must post a notice of inspection at the rental unit at least twenty-one (21) calendar days before the inspection. In addition, where the code enforcement officer cancels or re-schedules the inspection, they must provide the Stockton tenant with written notice at least five (5) business days before the inspection.  They also must re-post a notice with the new inspection date at the rental unit.

What Happens Where A Stockton Tenant Refuses to Allow the Code Enforcement Officer Entry to Inspect Under the Stockton Residential Rental Unit Inspection and Maintenance Ordinance?

Where a Stockton tenant refuses to allow a Stockton Code Enforcement Officer entry to inspect a rental unit under the Stockton Residential Rental Unit Inspection and Maintenance Ordinance, the City Attorney may obtain a warrant from court forcing the tenant to acquiesce to the inspection.  Stockton Municipal Code § 8.32.080.

Do Stockton Tenants Owe Any Fees Under the Stockton Residential Rental Unit Inspection and Maintenance Ordinance?

No, Stockton tenants do not owe any fees under the Stockton Residential Rental Unit Inspection and Maintenance Ordinance.  Stockton Municipal Code § 8.32.090.  Only property owners are responsible for paying the residential rental unit inspection fee, a reinspection fee, delinquency fee, and any other fee or penalty that may be assessed under the Ordinance.  A landlord or property manager charging a Stockton tenant a fee under the Stockton Residential Rental Unit Inspection and Maintenance Ordinance is unlawful and likely retaliatory conduct entitling the Stockton tenant to money damages.

Common Habitability Issues Addressed by the Stockton Residential Rental Unit Inspection and Maintenance Ordinance

Common habitability issues the Stockton Residential Rental Unit Inspection and Maintenance Ordinance seeks to address include:

Lack of heat;

Rodent and other vermin infestations;

Hot and Cold running water;

Functioning sewage systems with no sewage overflows;

Functioning electrical system;

Well maintained windows, including equipped with window screens;

Functional water heater;

Plumbing in working order;

Sinks, bathtubs, toilets, and shower surrounds in good, working condition;

No visible mold;

All mechanical equipment (appliances, venting systems, thermostats, and air conditioning units) in good, working order; and,

Flooring in good condition and free of trip hazards.

What Happens Where the Landlord Fails to Keep the Stockton Tenant’s Rental Unit in a Habitable Condition?

When the City of Stockton’s code enforcement officer inspects a Stockton tenant’s rental unit and determines that code violations exist, the officer will issue a written notice of violation ordering the landlord to repair all habitability issues at the property.  Stockton Municipal Code § 8.32.130.

How Long Must Stockton Tenants Wait for Repairs to Uninhabitable Units?

The repair time will depend on the type and severity of habitability issues in the Stockton tenant’s unit and the property.  Stockton Municipal Code § 8.32.130.  Specifically, the City of Stockton may order repairs as soon as twenty-four (24) hours to as long as one-hundred-and-twenty (12) days, all depending on the severity of the repair issue.  Further, the landlord or property manager may request an extension of time from the City of Stockton to allow additional time to make repairs.  However, the City of Stockton will only grant additional time where the landlord makes substantial demonstrable progress towards correcting the violation.

Must the Landlord Provide Relocation Assistance Where Repair Work Requires Stockton Tenant Relocation?

Yes, Stockton tenants must receive relocation payments where repair work addressing habitability issues cited in a notice of violation requires tenant displacement.  Stockton Municipal Code § 8.32.150.  Under the Stockton Residential Rental Unit Inspection and Maintenance Ordinance, Stockton tenants must receive relocation assistance as outlined in the Stockton Relocation Benefits for Displaced Tenants Ordinance, which are an amount equal to the lower of either:

Two times the Stockton tenant’s current rent; or,

An amount equal to the Stockton tenant’s monthly rent at their new home.  Stockton Municipal Code § 1.52.030.

Where the Stockton tenant is required to vacate within seventy-two (72) hours or less time, the Stockton tenant is entitled to relocation assistance as follows:

A base relocation payment, as specified above;

The reasonable and actual costs for up to two (2) weeks of temporary housing;

Moving expenses; and,

The cost to store personal property for up to two (2) weeks.  Stockton Municipal Code § 1.52.040.

Who is Responsible for Paying Stockton Tenant Relocation Payments Under the Stockton Residential Rental Unit Inspection and Maintenance Ordinance?

Under the Stockton Residential Rental Unit Inspection and Maintenance Ordinance, property owners are responsible for paying relocation payments to Stockton tenants displaced from their rental units due to unsafe or hazardous living conditions.  Stockton Municipal Code § 1.52.020.

When Citing a Rental Unit, Will the City of Stockton Provide Notice of a Stockton Tenant’s Right to Relocation Payments Under the Stockton Residential Rental Unit Inspection and Maintenance Ordinance?

Yes, the City of Stockton will provide both the landlord and Stockton tenant with a notice summarizing the Stockton tenant’s right to relocation benefits.  Stockton Municipal Code § 1.52.080.  Please note that the City’s failure to provide this notice does not relieve the property owner of their obligation to provide relocation payments.

Are There Any Circumstances Where Stockton Tenants are not Entitled to Collect Relocation Benefits? 

Yes, Stockton tenants are not entitled to collect relocation payments under the Stockton Residential Rental Unit Inspection and Maintenance Ordinance when:

The Stockton tenant caused or substantially contributed to the unsafe or hazardous living conditions giving rise to the Notice of Violation, as determined by the City of Stockton;

The rental unit becomes unsafe or hazardous as a result of an earthquake, flood, fire, or other natural disaster unrelated to safety or code violations;

The Stockton tenant refuses to move into a habitable unit, as determined by the city, available to the tenant within sixty (60) days following the vacate date.  Stockton Municipal Code § 1.52.070.

How Stockton Tenants Fight Back Against Landlord Abuse of the Stockton Residential Rental Unit Inspection and Maintenance Ordinance?

The Stockton Residential Rental Unit Inspection and Maintenance Ordinance prohibits retaliation.  Stockton Municipal Code § 8.32.180.  Where a landlord evicts a Stockton tenant for exercising their rights under the law, the tenant has a retaliatory eviction claim and may file a civil lawsuit against their landlord.

Additionally, Stockton tenants may contact the City Attorney by phone.

To discuss the Stockton Residential Rental Unit Inspection and Maintenance Ordinance, the Stockton Relocation Benefits for Displaced Tenants Ordinance, Stockton Ellis Act Evictions, Stockton Owner Move-In Evictions,  or California Rent Control (AB1482), contact Astanehe Law, including by phone or email, to speak with a tenant attorney.

[jennymanrique]

Tenants in California’s Central Valley push for reforms amid high eviction rates

About 300,000 persons are at risk of losing their homes if the state’s moratorium on rent payments, due to end January 31st, is not extended. There are no permanent tenant protection laws.

Jessica Ramirez is 29 years old, is the mother of six children, and has an eviction on her record, which not only forced her to have to sleep in her car and in parks, and to get by on public charity, but it has become an indelible stain on her record, which prevents her from getting housing.

“Even though I went to court, my eviction has not been removed [from the records]. Only the landlord has the right to do that,” said Ramirez, a Fresno resident who has become a strong community advocate in the fight for tenants’ rights. “I should not be forced to choose between my housing and the health and safety of my children just because I am a tenant.”

Ramirez spoke at a press conference organized by Ethnic Media Services that put a spotlight on housing rights in the midst of the pandemic in a region with the highest eviction rates in California, where more than 7 million people live: the Central Valley. Women of races other than white –mothers who are heads of households– are being disproportionately affected by this crisis.

In the midst of COVID-19, Ramirez has not been able to comply with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s shelter-in-place orders or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines. Getting a lease is already an odyssey as her eviction will not be removed from her credit record for seven years. When she was able to rent an apartment, she was not able to renew the lease and has received eviction notices without any previous communication.

“I don’t want anyone to experience what my kids are going through,” said Ramirez, who has joined other tenants under the umbrella of services from Faith in the Valley (FIV), a faith-based community organization in California’s Central Valley that tracks the housing crisis and represents families in Fresno, Kern, Merced, Stanislaus and San Joaquin counties.

In 2019, before the start of the pandemic, FIV documented 12,000 evictions in those five counties, based on court records and at a time when unemployment was at its lowest after the 2008 crisis. “We know that outside of the courts, the number of evictions is twice as many and the pandemic has only worsened that crisis,” said Janine Nkosi, regional FIV advisor. “Evictions in the Central Valley happen at higher rates than anywhere else in California,” she added.

According to the data analyzed by FIV, the demand for unemployment benefits in this area increased 600% at the beginning of the pandemic in March, with 650,000 people looking for income relief. They now estimate that 100,000 households, or about 300,000 individuals, are at risk of eviction if the state’s moratorium on rent payments –due to end on January 31– is not extended.

“We need rent, mortgage and utility relief to keep families afloat,” Nkosi explained, mentioning the importance of assembly bills AB15 and AB16 that seek to expand the terms for COVID-19 rent debt and provide affordable housing for these tenants.

FIV also mentioned the large disparities in legal representation of tenants against landlords. Not only are cases resolved in a matter of minutes, ruling in favor of evictions, but less than 1% of tenants have legal representation. In contrast, national surveys have shown that 90% of landlords have an attorney representing them.

Nkosi shared the case of Fresno County, where in 2019 the most active landlord advocate handled 643 cases, while the most active tenant advocate represented only six cases. Unlike in criminal justice, the right to a public defender in this civil matter is null.

“The civil right to defense and the elimination of criminal records are our great demands,” Nkosi said. “An eviction not only stays on the record for seven years, but that represents 10 years of negative credit and tenants end up having to pay 25 times what they owe… We want laws that reduce that record to just six months and allow for a five-year moratorium on debt.”

Affordable Housing

The lack of affordable housing is an additional element to the recession. Among the 12 regions of California, the Central Valley has one of the lowest rates of homeownership and the highest rates of homes with multiple families.

According to data shared by Professor Edward Orozco Flores of UC Merced’s Labor and Community Center, only 49.5% of the residents here own a home, making the Central Valley the third place with the highest number of renters, after Los Angeles and San Diego.

There is an average of 10.7 homes with multiple families per 100 households, meaning that up to 10 families live in one house, highlighting the crisis of overcrowding and the impossibility of physical distancing that have made ethnic communities the biggest victims of this pandemic.

“There is a false idea that the cost of living in the Central Valley is low, because here we also have the second lowest wages in the state,” added Orozco Flores, referring to the most common occupations that are those of essential workers: agriculture and food processing.

Many of these workers live on food stamps because they have to spend 30% to 50% of their income on paying rent, which is referred to as an “extreme rent burden.”

On top of that, “we have the highest unemployment rate… As a result of the pandemic, one in four households has lost or reduced their income and this is a problem for those who are tenants.”

In November of last year, Claude Bailey, a 79-year-old Stockton resident, was evicted from the apartment where he had lived for over 20 years. He had to live out of his car for 10 months, sleeping in the car, and went days without eating because he wanted to avoid using the disgusting public bathrooms, and was evicted by the police from parks and corners in his neighborhood. All this in the midst of the pandemic.

“It was a nightmare, I could barely sleep,” said Bailey who, thanks to the help of friends, recently found a shelter. “I lived in fear, I never knew where I was going to go, or what to do, I couldn’t relax because I was constantly on the move… I saw many older adults who have worked very hard for their families, abandoned to their fate on the streets, sleeping in boxes. This can happen to anyone,” he added.

Bailey wants legislators, property owners, and society at large to do their part. “A society is known for how it treats its elderly people. We pay our taxes and have built this country. It’s time for them to help us,” he concluded.

Originally published here

Want to read this piece in Spanish? Click here

[soniadowd7sf-blog]

House 1

Reasons Why You Should Sell Your Home For Cash

What are the reasons that may force you to sell your home and get paid in cash? This article discusses some reasons why you need to sell your home for cash to a home company.

You will be guaranteed of fast release of equity. If you are in urgent need of money, why don’t you sell your house and get paid right away? A cash home buying company will buy your home even after a very short notice. You just need to call that and they will come to evaluate the value of your home, closing the deal after a few days.  View Who Buys Houses Sacramento

You will also be able to settle your debts with ease. Are you worried that your debts could be going beyond your control?  You don’t need to be afraid anymore since home buying companies are here to give you a solution. You can readily sell your home for cash and you will be able to gain control over your financial condition. You also don’t need to look for a new home after selling your home since the home buying company will rent back the house that you have already sold for the duration that you may wish.

The main reasons why people consider selling their houses for cash is to avoid foreclose. This is a very convenient and clever way from property companies that save many people from home repossessions to the lending institution when an individual is able to pay the loan within the agreed time. You just need to contact and they will schedule a valuation for the property. You can easily sell your home and use the money to pay your loans averting repossessions. See Sell My House Stockton Fast

You may be facing a problem in selling your home due to some other reasons. You may be having a problem with the tenants and short leases to the section of notices according to the law. The cash home buying company can close the deal right away. These are investors and they do not have emotions compared to individual buyers. They are not much concerned with some minor changes such as wall fractures. They will buy the home as it is. They know the investment potential of the property and they will readily buy the home in any location.

Selling your home for cash is the best way in which you can be able to settle family matters such as divorce and separation. The property can be sold and the money divided following the directives from a court of law.

More info https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rP8pa2iu0Nc

[tenantrightslawyer]

The Stockton Relocation Benefits for Displaced Tenants Ordinance

The City of Stockton provides Stockton tenants with relocation payments when suffering temporary or permanent displacement from their homes due to unsafe or substandard conditions cited by the government.  Codified at Chapter 1.52 of the Stockton Municipal Code and officially entitled the “Relocation Benefits for Displaced Tenants” Ordinance, the Stockton Tenant Relocation Benefits for Displaced Tenants Ordinance provides Stockton tenants with predetermined relocation payments whenever their homes are red-tagged and no longer habitable.

Is My Unit Covered Under the Stockton Relocation Benefits for Displaced Tenants Ordinance?

Most likely, yes.  The Stockton Relocation Benefits for Displaced Tenants Ordinance covers, “[a]ny tenant who is displaced from any residential unit.”  Stockton Municipal Code § 1.52.020.  Only tenants in rental units owned by the City of Stockton, the City of Stockton Redevelopment Agency, the San Joaquin Housing Authority, or any other government agency are exempt.  Stockton Municipal Code § 1.52.090.  Consequently, nearly every Stockton tenant is covered by the Stockton Relocation Benefits for Displaced Tenants Ordinance.

Does the Stockton Relocation Benefits for Displaced Tenants Ordinance Protect Subtenants?

Most likely, yes.  The Stockton Relocation Benefits for Displaced Tenants Ordinance covers, “[a]ny tenant who is displaced from any residential unit.”  Stockton Municipal Code § 1.52.020.  So, the law likely covers subtenants and other authorized occupants, except where the rental unit is owned by the City of Stockton, the City of Stockton Redevelopment Agency, the San Joaquin Housing Authority, or any other government agency are exempt.  Stockton Municipal Code § 1.52.090.

Are Property Managers and Other Landlord Agents Required to Contribute to Relocation Payments Made to Stockton Tenants? 

It is unlikely that the Stockton Relocation Benefits for Displaced Tenants Ordinance requires property managers and other landlord agents to contribute to relocation payments owed to Stockton tenants.  While the Ordinance lacks definitions, the Ordinance only refers to property owners, and no other person or entity, as being required to satisfy relocation payment obligations towards Stockton tenants.  Stockton Municipal Code § 1.52.020.

Under What Circumstances Does A Stockton Tenant Become Entitled to Relocation Payments Under the Stockton Relocation Benefits for Displaced Tenants Ordinance?

A tenant becomes eligible for relocation payments from the property owner when the Stockton tenant is displaced from their home due to a notice and order to vacate for unsafe or hazardous living conditions issued by the City of Stockton  Stockton Municipal Code § 1.52.020.

What is the Amount of Relocation Payments Stockton Tenants Must Receive Under the Stockton Relocation Benefits for Displaced Tenants Ordinance?

Under the Stockton Relocation Benefits for Displaced Tenants Ordinance, Stockton tenants are entitled to relocation benefits in an amount equal to the lower of either two times the Stockton tenant’s current rent or an amount equal to the Stockton tenant’s monthly rent at their new home.  Stockton Municipal Code § 1.52.030.

Who is Responsible for Paying Stockton Tenant Relocation Payments Under the Stockton Relocation Benefits for Displaced Tenants Ordinance? 

As specified above, property owners are responsible for paying relocation payments to Stockton tenants displaced from their rental units due to unsafe or hazardous living conditions.  Stockton Municipal Code § 1.52.020.

Typically, the Notice of Violation will provide the Stockton tenant reasonable time before the displacement, such as sixty (60) days’ notice.  However, for imminently unsafe or hazardous conditions – likely where human life is endangered – the City of Stockton may require the Stockton tenant to vacate within seventy-two (72) hours or less time.  When the Stockton tenant is required to vacate within seventy-two (72) hours or less time, the Stockton tenant is also entitled to:

The reasonable and actual costs for up to two (2) weeks of temporary housing;

Moving expenses; and,

The cost to store personal property for up to two (2) weeks.  Stockton Municipal Code § 1.52.040.

When Citing a Rental Unit, Will the City of Stockton Provide Notice of a Stockton Tenant’s Right to Relocation Payments Under the Stockton Relocation Benefits for Displaced Tenants Ordinance?

Yes, the City of Stockton will provide both the property owner and Stockton tenant with a notice summarizing the Stockton tenant’s right to relocation benefits from the property owner.  Stockton Municipal Code § 1.52.080.  Please note that the City’s failure to provide this notice does not relieve the property owner of their obligation to provide relocation payments.

Does the Stockton Relocation Benefits for Displaced Tenants Ordinance Provide A Deadline for Paying Relocation Payments to Stockton Tenants?

Yes, the property owner must provide relocation payments within ten (10) days after the Notice to Vacate date.  Stockton Municipal Code § 1.52.060.  However, the property owner may appeal the determination that relocation benefits are owed to the Stockton tenant.

Are There Any Circumstances Where Stockton Tenants are not Entitled to Collect Relocation Benefits? 

Yes, Stockton tenants are not entitled to collect relocation payments under the Stockton Relocation Benefits for Displaced Tenants Ordinance when:

The Stockton tenant caused or substantially contributed to the unsafe or hazardous living conditions giving rise to the Notice to Vacate, as determined by the City of Stockton;

The rental unit becomes unsafe or hazardous as a result of an earthquake, flood, fire, or other natural disaster unrelated to safety or code violations;

The Stockton tenant refuses to move into a habitable unit, as determined by the city, available to the tenant within sixty (60) days following the vacate date.  Stockton Municipal Code § 1.52.070.

Does the Stockton Relocation Benefits for Displaced Tenants Ordinance Contain A Private Right of Action?

No, the Stockton Relocation Benefits for Displaced Tenants Ordinance does not contain a private right of action.  If your landlord refuses to provide relocation payments under the Ordinance, contact the City Attorney by phone.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Mandy Johnson, 1953-2015

Rob Beschizza:

In her final hours, mum's death sleep grew louder. Morphine lost control of her body. Murmurs rose into a harrowing whine, swelling with each unconscious breath.The nurse said she wasn't there, not really, but I wondered otherwise. Between her cries, during the bouts of apnea where she did not breath at all, in the terrible silence before she gasped back to life, I begged her to let go. I joked about her refusal to do so—anything to end the pain. Then her face, for hours a mask of frozen yellow wax, screwed up in what seemed a sudden awakening of incredible agony. She tensed, relaxed and sputtered, but did not wake. It happened again. And then she was quiet.Whether she had fled hours ago, or had been aware and trapped in her body, she was gone now.

There is a pond full of life, fed by a brook and watched from a wooden bridge by a young mother and her child. It is so far away you will not find it on this world, but it exists all the same in the truth of another.

Amanda Johnson was born August 16, 1953, in Long Newton, England, the second of three girls (Jeanette older, and Sandra younger), with an older brother, Crosby. Their beloved mother, Kathleen, died of cancer when they were all teenagers, turning their lives upside-down. Their father, Bob Johnson, was a professional drummer who often performed in smoky clubs in Newton Aycliffe, the planned community where they settled. He remarried, but only outlived his first wife for a few years.I never met my grandparents, but Mandy was my mum and told me as much about them.

As soon as she was able, Mandy generated piles of drawings and stories, illustrating whatever she took an interest in. She led Sandy in exploration without fear, the pair gathering from nature all that they could take home to study, to then lose themselves in imagination. “And what we didn't have, she would create,” Sandy says.Life in the Johnson household was fun-filled but chaotic, with “wild but often neurotic energy sizzling between parents and children,” as Sandy describes. As the girls grew older, this dynamic became troubled and vaguely infantilizing, the children expected to play their roles in a whirlwind of activity.But in it all, a wealth of fond memories: Mandy picking all the currents out of the buns rising on the range, triggering more conflict between her and the more streetsmart Jeanette. Mandy's terrier, Judy, was another note of anarchy in their boxy, flat-roofed house, spilling out onto the grassy estates behind Stephenson Way.Kathleen worked at Union Carbide, a foreign investor summoned to anchor the new town's sprawling industrial park. Her dark hair and pale eyes are immortalized in one of Mandy's largest canvasses. Bob worked on locomotives as a young man, but heart trouble forced the more sedentary lifestyle of a musician. Even so, they each smoked a pack a day.Kathleen was from a landed family, the Elstobs, but a substantial inheritance evaporated a generation or two earlier, and they grew up poor in the countryside of County Durham in northeast England. As soon as he could, Bob moved his family from the tenant farms around Stockton to Newton Aycliffe, a post-war housing project whose modernist charms soon faded.“The children were probably fed myths about how the family had been hard done by,” says Andrew Beschizza, my father and Mandy's partner through the late 1970s and 1980s. With a wife and four children to look after in the early 1960s, Bob turned down a touring gig with UK light entertainment legend Max Bygraves which might have brought a degree of fame. “There was a lot of disappointment and resentment,” Andrew says. “Constraints and restraints.”Bob would come home with signed photos of the celebrity singers he'd backed for the night, Sandy recalls, only to put them in the top drawer and just leave them there. He'd talk about them as if they were his friends.“My father was narcissistic but fun,” Sandy says. “Mum suffered from all the tension and pressure. It's a common story — families don’t quite get it right, they aren’t there for their children all the way. Loving but unintentionally negligent.”

Read the rest:

https://boingboing.net/2017/04/03/mandy-johnson-1953-2015.html

[nightmare-afton-cosplay]

Is the Rent Too High? Renters May Be in Luck in These Cities

Fireglo2/iStock

It might seem like the cost of just about everything, from train fares to interest rates, is going up these days. And yet the pace of rising rents, one of every tenant’s worst fears, is actually slowing down in many of the nation’s most expensive cities.

The slowdown can be seen nationwide, according to a pair of recently released reports from two rental websites. Rents rose only 0.4% from February to March, according to Apartment List. Meanwhile, they rose 0.2% on one-bedroom apartments from March to April, according to Abodo.

And those monthly bills are continuing to fall in such pricey metros as Silicon Valley’s San Jose and San Francisco, and New York City, even if it’s just a fraction of a percentage point. Hey, every little bit helps those cash-strapped tenants gleaning change from their couch cushions.

Why rents are flat—and going down in some cities

“There’s a large number of new apartment buildings and units which are now available,” says Abodo spokesman Sam Radbil. And with all those available units vying to lure residents, “that means prices are going to come down.”

Prices in the most expensive cities already began coming down in the second half of 2016, he says. That’s because there were about 285,000 more rental units available in 2016 than 2015. And now lower rents are spreading to cheaper areas in the Midwest and the Rust Belt, including Des Moines, IA; Cleveland; and Kansas City, KS.

“Oftentimes, trends like rent price decreases start on the coast or in the large markets, and those tend to trickle down,” he says.

Meanwhile, the cities seeing some of the largest bumps are located right outside even more expensive metros, according to Apartment List.

Many Silicon Valley renters are getting so sick of the sky-high costs of leasing an apartment that they’re becoming buyers, says Silicon Valley–area Realtor® Shahida Mehjabeen of Keller Williams Bay Area Estates in Los Gatos, CA. Or they’re moving farther away from the more expensive hubs.

“Two or three years ago, people were willing to pay anything to get into an apartment because there were a limited number,” she says. But “we already hit the threshold of what people are willing to pay for rents.”

The new hot spots for rising rents

Renters are now likely being priced out of places like San Francisco and are turning to places like Stockton, CA, about 80 miles away. Median prices have shot up in Stockton about 12.5% over the past year on two-bedroom apartments in the city, according to Apartment List. That might sound like a lot, but at a median $1,000 for a two-bedroom apartment, tenants are still paying less than a quarter of what they would in San Francisco.

Renters are also moving from Seattle to Tacoma, WA, about an hour away, where prices rose 10.2%, and from Dallas to Arlington, TX, just 30 minutes away, where prices went up 9.5%. Median rents are about $1,000 higher in Seattle than Tacoma and about $750 higher in Dallas than Arlington, according to Apartment List.

“The fact that people are having to move farther out and have longer commutes points to the issue of a lack of affordability in some of these bigger cities,” says Apartment List data analyst Chris Salviati. And unfortunately for renters who tend not to be bringing home a huge paycheck, “it seems likely that it’s a trend that will continue going forward.”

The post Is the Rent Too High? Renters May Be in Luck in These Cities appeared first on Real Estate News & Advice | realtor.com®.

from http://www.realtor.com/news/trends/rents-going-down-certain-cities/

[ufcw]

Celebrating International Women’s Day

Today is International Women’s Day, a day to celebrate the social, cultural and political achievements of women today and throughout history. The UFCW is proud of the contributions of all the hardworking women who make sure our communities have access to the quality foods, health services, and more that we all depend on.

Women have played a major role in the history of workers rights, from fighting for equality for farm workers to demanding dignity for textile workers. Below are just a few outstanding women leaders from labor history.

*the following is adapted from the Zinn Education Project*

1. Louise Boyle

Photographer Louise Boyle is best known for the images she captured, documenting the devastating effects of the Great Depression on American workers. In 1937, at the height of a wave of labor militancy, Ms. Boyle was invited to photograph the living and working conditions of the Southern Tenant Farmers’ Union members from several Arkansas communities. Her provocative recording depicted courageous people linking their futures together despite devastating poverty, physical hardship, and brutal police-endorsed reprisals. Most portray African American farmers in their homes, at union meetings and rallies, or at work with their families picking cotton. Boyle returned in 1982 to rephotograph some of the people and places she had documented earlier.

2. Hattie Canty

A Las Vegas transplant in rural Alabama, legendary African American unionist Hattie Canty was one of the greatest strike leaders in U.S. history. Her patient leadership helped knit together a labor union made up of members from 84 nations.  During her time as an activist, she saw first hand how the labor and civil rights movements were intrinsically linked: “Coming from Alabama, this seemed like the civil rights struggle…the labor movement and the civil rights movement, you cannot separate the two of them.”

3. May Chen

In 1982, May Chen helped organize and lead the New York Chinatown strike of 1982, one of the largest Asian American worker strikes with about 20,000 garment factory workers marching the streets of Lower Manhattan demanding work contracts. “The Chinatown community then had more and more small garment factories,” she recalled. “And the Chinese employers thought they could play on ethnic loyalties to get the workers to turn away from the union. They were very, very badly mistaken.” Most of the protests included demands for higher wages, improved working conditions and for management to observe the Confucian principles of fairness and respect. By many accounts, the workers won. The strike caused the employers to hold back on wage cuts and withdraw their demand that workers give up their holidays and some benefits. It paved the way for better working conditions such as hiring bilingual staff to interpret for workers and management, initiation of English-language classes and van services for workers.

4. Jessie de la Cruz

A field worker since the age of five, Jessie knew poverty, harsh working conditions, and the exploitation of Mexicans and all poor people. Her response was to take a stand. She joined the United Farm Workers union in 1965 and, at Cesar Chavez’s request, became its first woman recruiter. She also participated in strikes, helped ban the crippling short-handle hoe, became a delegate to the Democratic National Convention, testified before the Senate, and met with the Pope. She continued to be a political activist until her death in 2013, at the age of 93.

5. Elizabeth Gurley Flynn

Elizabeth Gurley Flynn once said, “I will devote my life to the wage earner. My sole aim in life is to do all in my power to right the wrongs and lighten the burdens of the laboring class.” In 1907, Elizabeth Gurley Flynn became a full-time organizer for the Industrial Workers of the World and in 1912 traveled to Lawrence, MA during the Great Textile Strike. She became “the strike’s leading lady.”

6. Emma Goldman

In 1886, year after her arrival from Lithuania, Emma Goldman was shocked by the trial, conviction, and execution of labor activists falsely accused of a bombing in Chicago’s Haymarket Square, which she later described as “the events that had inspired my spiritual birth and growth.” A born propagandist and organizer, Emma Goldman championed women’s equality, free love, workers’ rights, free universal education regardless of race or gender, and anarchism. For more than thirty years, she defined the limits of dissent and free speech in Progressive Era America. Goldman died on May 14, 1940, and buried in Forest Park, Illinois amongst the labor activists that first sparked her life’s work as an activist. Throughout her career, she fought against the corporate powers that tried to dehumanize the people that worked for them: “Still more fatal is the crime of turning the producer into a mere particle of a machine, with less will and decision than his master of steel and iron. Man is being robbed not merely of the products of his labor, but of the power of free initiative, of originality, and the interest in, or desire for, the things he is making.”

7. Velma Hopkins

Velma Hopkins helped mobilize 10,000 workers into the streets of Winston-Salem, NC, as part of an attempt to bring unions to R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company. The union, Local 22 of the Food, Tobacco, Agricultural and Allied Workers of America-CIO, was integrated and led primarily by African American women. They pushed the boundaries of economic, racial and gender equality. In the 1940s, they organized a labor campaign and a strike for better working conditions, pay, and equal rights under the law. It was the only time in the history of Reynolds Tobacco that it had a union. Before Local 22 faced set-backs from red-baiting and the power of Reynolds’ anti-unionism, it gained national attention for its vision of an equal society. This vision garnered the scrutiny of powerful enemies such as Richard Nixon and captured the attention of allies such as actor Paul Robeson and songwriter Woody Guthrie. While it represented the workers, the union influenced a generation of civil rights activists.

8. Dolores Huerta

Before becoming a labor organizer, Dolores Huerta was a grammar school teacher, but soon quit after becoming distraught at the sight of children coming to school hungry or without proper clothing. “I couldn’t stand seeing kids come to class hungry and needing shoes. I thought I could do more by organizing farm workers than by trying to teach their hungry children.” In 1955, Huerta launched her career in labor organizing by helping Fred Ross train organizers in Stockton, California, and five years later, founded the Agricultural Workers Association before organizing the United Farm Workers with Cesar Chavez in 1962. Some of her early victories included lobbying for voting rights for Mexican Americans as well as for the right of every American to take the written driver’s test in their native language. A champion of labor rights, women’s rights, racial equality and other civil rights causes, Huerta remains an unrelenting figure in the farm workers’ movement.

9. Mother Jones

Marry Harris “Mother” Jones made it her mission to stand up for the rights of the children who worked in factories and mills under horrible conditions in the early 1900’s. “I asked the newspaper men why they didn’t publish the facts about child labor in Pennsylvania. They said they couldn’t because the mill owners had stock in the papers.” “Well, I’ve got stock in these little children,” said I,” and I’ll arrange a little publicity.” On July 7, 1903, Jones began the “March of the Mill Children” from Philadelphia to President Theodore Roosevelt’s Long Island summer home in Oyster Bay, NY, to publicize the harsh conditions of child labor and to demand a 55-hour work-week. During this march she delivered her famed “The Wail of the Children” speech, even though Roosevelt refused to see them.

10. Mary Lease

“Wall Street owns the country. It is no longer a government of the people, by the people, and for the people, but a government of Wall Street, by Wall Street, and for Wall Street.” These words, which eerily echo some sentiments today, were spoken more than 120 years ago by Mary Lease, a powerful voice of the agrarian crusade and the best-known orator of the era, first gaining national attention battling Wall Street during the 1890 Populist campaign. As a spokesperson for the “people’s party,” she hoped that by appealing directly to the heart and soul of the nation’s farmers, she could motivate them to political action to protect their own interests not only in Kansas but throughout the United States. “You may call me an anarchist, a socialist, or a communist, I care not, but I hold to the theory that if one man as not enough to eat three times a day and another man has $25,000,000, that last man has something that belongs to the first.” Mary spent most of her life speaking out in favor of social justice causes including women’s suffrage and temperance, and her work reflected the multifaceted nature of late nineteenth-century politics in the United States. Many female leaders today, such as Elizabeth Warren, still fight against Wall Street and the 1% as inequality has reached exorbitant levels.

11. Clara Lemlich

“I have listened to all the speakers, and I have no further patience for talk. I am a working girl, one of those striking against intolerable conditions. I am tired of listening to speakers who talk in generalities. What we are here for is to decide whether or not to strike. I make a motion that we go out in a general strike.” These were the words of  Clara Lemlich, a firebrand who led several strikes of shirtwaist makers and challenged the mostly male leadership of the union to organize women garment workers. With support from the National Women’s Trade Union League (NWTUL) in 1909 she lead the New York shirtwaist strike, also known as the “Uprising of the 20,000”. It was the largest strike of women at that point in U.S. history. The strike was followed a year later by the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire that exposed the continued plight of immigrant women working in dangerous and difficult conditions.

12. Luisa Moreno

Luisa Moreno, a Guatemalan immigrant, first got involved in labor activism in 1930 at in Zelgreen’s Cafeteria in New York City, when she and her co-worker protested the employer’s exploitation of its workers with long hours, constant sexual harassment, and the threat, should anyone object, of dismissal. Hearing that workers would picket the cafeteria, police formed a line on the sidewalk that allowed customers to pass through. Luisa, in a fur collar coat, strolled through the cordon of policemen as if she was going to enter the cafeteria. When she was directly in front of the door she pulled a picket sign from under her coat and thrust it in plain view, yelling, “Strike!” Two burly policemen grabbed her by the elbows. They lifted her off the sidewalk and hustled her into the entrance way of a nearby building. She came out with her face bleeding and considered herself fortunate that she was not disfigured. Moreno spent the next 20 years organizing workers across the country. Her story serves as a reminder of just how dangerous the conditions were in those days to simply make one’s voice heard, but her bravery helped change those conditions for the better.

13. Agnes Nestor

“Any new method which the company sought to put into effect and disturb our work routine seemed to inflame the deep indignation already burning inside us. Thus, when a procedure was suggested for subdividing our work, so that each operator would do a smaller part of each glove, and thus perhaps increase the overall production—but also increase the monotony of the work, and perhaps also decrease our rate of pay—we began to think of fighting back.” This reminiscence by Nestor described how the oppressive conditions of the glove factory pushed her to take a leading role in a successful strike of female glove workers in 1898. Soon she became president of her glove workers local and later a leader of the International Glove Workers Union. She also took a leading role in the Women’s Trade Union League, serving as president of the Chicago branch from 1913 to 1948.

14. Pauline Newman

Pauline Newman, a Russian immigrant, began working at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in 1903 when she was thirteen years old. Finding that many of her co-workers could not read, she organized an evening study group where they also discussed labor issues and politics. Newman was active in the shirtwaist strike and the Women’s Trade Union League. She became a union organizer for the International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union (ILGWU) and director of the ILGWU Health Center. “All we knew was the bitter fact that after working 70 or 80 hours in a seven-day week, we did not earn enough to keep body and soul together,” she said.

15. Lucy Parsons

On May 1, 1886, Lucy Parsons helped launched the world’s first May Day and the demand for the eight-hour work day. Along with her husband, anarchist and activist Albert Parsons, and their two children, they led 80,000 working people down the Chicago streets and more than 100,000 also marched in other U.S. cities. A new international holiday was born. Parsons went on to help found the International Workers of the World, continued to give speeches, and worked tirelessly for equality throughout the rest of her life until her death in 1942.

16. Frances Perkins

On March 4, 1933, Frances Perkins became the U.S. Secretary of Labor from 1933 to 1945, and the first woman appointed to the U.S. Cabinet. Having personally witnessed workers jump to their death during the Triangle Shirtwaist fire, Perkins promoted and helped passed strong labor laws to try to prevent such atrocities from ever occurring again.

17. Rose Pesotta

When Rose Pesotta arrived in Los Angeles in 1933 to organize employees in the garment industry, the workforce of which was 75% Latina, the local leadership of the International Ladies Garment Workers Union (ILGWU), consisting of mostly white men, had no interest in organizing female dressmakers, feeling that most would either leave the industry to raise their families or shouldn’t be working in the first place. On October 12, 1933, a month after Rose Pesotta arrived, 4,000 workers walked off the job and went on strike. Their demands included union recognition, 35-hour work weeks, being paid the minimum wage, no take home work or time card regulation, and for disputes to be handled through arbitration. The strike ended on Nov. 6 with mixed results, but the workers gained a 35-hour workweek and received the minimum wage. Although not a complete victory, the message sent was a powerful one. What Rose Pesotta knew all along was now clear to the garment bosses and her male union counterparts; women, specifically women of color, should not be discounted. When it came to the demands of dignity and respect, these workers would not be ignored.

18. Ai-Jen Poo

When Poo started organizing domestic workers in 2000, many thought she was taking on an impossible task.  Domestic workers were too dispersed–spread out over too many homes. Even Poo had described the world of domestic work as the “Wild West.” Poo’s first big breakthrough with the National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA) happened on July 1, 2010, when the New York state legislature passed the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights. The bill legitimized domestic workers and gave them the same lawful rights as any other employee, such as vacation time and overtime pay. The bill was considered a major victory, and the NDWA expanded operations to include 17 cities and 11 states.

19. Florence Reece

Florence Reece was an activist, poet, and songwriter. She was the wife of one of the strikers and union organizers, Sam Reece, in the Harlan County miners strike in Kentucky. In an attempt to intimidate her family, the sheriff and company guards shot at their house while Reece and her children were inside (Sam had been warned they were coming and escaped). During the attack, she wrote the lyrics to Which Side Are You On?, a song that would become a popular ballad of the labor movement.

Song Lyrics

CHORUS: Which side are you on? (4x)

My daddy was a miner/And I’m a miner’s son/And I’ll stick with the union/‘Til every battle’s won [Chorus]

They say in Harlan County/There are no neutrals there/You’ll either be a union man/Or a thug for JH Blair [Chorus]

Oh workers can you stand it?/Oh tell me how you can/Will you be a lousy scab/Or will you be a man? [Chorus]

Don’t scab for the bosses/Don’t listen to their lies/Us poor folks haven’t got a chance/Unless we organize [Chorus]

20. Harriet Hanson Robinson

At the age of 10, Harriet Hanson Robinson got a job in textile Mills of Lowell, Massachusetts to help support her family. When mill owners dropped wages and sped up the pace of work, Harriet and others participated in the 1836 Lowell Mill Strike. Later as an adult, Harriet became an activist for women’s suffrage and would recount her mill work experience in Loom and Spindle or Life Among the Early Mill Girls. In her book, Harriet concludes: “Such is the brief story of the life of every-day working-girls; such as it was then, so it might be to-day. Undoubtedly there might have been another side to this picture, but I give the side I knew best–the bright side!”

21. Fannie Sellins

Fannie Sellins was known as an exceptional organizer that also made her “a thorn in the side of the Allegheny Valley coal operators.” The operators openly threatened to “get her.” After being an organizer in St. Louis for the United Garment Workers local and in the West Virginia coal fields, in 1916 Sellins moved to Pennsylvania, where her work with the miners’ wives proved to be an effective way to organize workers across ethnic barriers.  She also recruited black workers, who originally came north as strikebreakers, into the United Mine Workers America. During a tense confrontation between townspeople and armed company guards outside the Allegheny Coal and Coke company mine in Brackenridge on August 26, 1919, Fannie Sellins and miner Joseph Strzelecki were brutally gunned down. A coroner’s jury and a trial in 1923 ended in the acquittal of two men accused of her murder. She is remembered for her perseverance and bravery.

22. Vicky Starr

���When I look back now, I really think we had a lot of guts. But I didn’t even stop to think about it at the time. It was just something that had to be done. We had a goal. That’s what we felt had to be done, and we did it,” said “Stella Nowicki”, the assumed name of Vicki Starr, an activist who participated in the campaign to organize unions in the meatpacking factories of Chicago in the 1930’s and ‘40s.

23. Emma Tenayuca

“I was arrested a number of times. I never thought in terms of fear. I thought in terms of justice,” said Emma Tenayuca, born in San Antonio, Texas on Dec. 21, 1916. Later, she would become to be known as “La Pasionaria de Texas” through her work as an educator, speaker, and labor organizer. From 1934–1948, she supported almost every strike in the city, writing leaflets, visiting homes of strikers, and joining them on picket lines. She joined the Communist Party and the Workers Alliance (WA) in 1936. Tenayuca and WA demanded that Mexican workers could strike without fear of deportation or a minimum wage law. In 1938 she was unanimously elected strike leader of 12,000 pecan shellers. Due to anti-Mexican, anti-Communist, and anti-union hysteria Tenayuca fled San Antonio for her safety but later returned as a teacher.

24. Carmelita Torres

On Jan. 28, 1917, 17-year-old Carmelita Torres led the Bath Riots at the Juarez/El Paso border, refusing the toxic “bath” imposed on all workers crossing the border. Here is what the El Paso Times reported the next day: “When refused permission to enter El Paso without complying with the regulations the women collected in an angry crowd at the center of the bridge. By 8 o’clock the throng, consisting in large part of servant girls employed in El Paso, had grown until it packed the bridge half way across. “Led by Carmelita Torres, an auburn-haired young woman of 17, they kept up a continuous volley of language aimed at the immigration and health officers, civilians, sentries and any other visible American.”

25. Ella Mae Wiggins

Ella Mae Wiggins was an organizer, speaker, and balladeer, known for expressed her faith in the union, the only organized force she had encountered that promised her a better life. On Sept. 14, 1929, during the Loray Mill strike in Gastonia, NC,  Textile Workers Union members were ambushed by local vigilantes and a sheriff’s deputy. The vigilantes and deputy forced Ella Mae Wiggins’ pickup truck off the road, and murdered the 29 year-old mother of nine. Though there were 50 witnesses during the assault and five of the attackers were arrested, all were acquitted of her murder. After her death, the AFL-CIO expanded Wiggins’ grave marker in 1979, to include the phrase, “She died carrying the torch of social justice.” Also a song-writer, her best-known song, A Mill Mother’s Lament, was recorded by Pete Seeger, among others.

26. Sue Cowan Williams

Sue Cowan Williams represented African-American teachers in the Little Rock School District as the plaintiff in the case challenging the rate of salaries allotted to teachers in the district based solely on skin color. The suit, Morris v. Williams, was filed on Feb. 28, 1942, and followed a March 1941 petition filed with the Little Rock School Board requesting equalization of salaries between black and white teachers. She lost the case, but then won in a 1943 appeal.

from Celebrating International Women’s Day

[cmcguirerealtor]

Renting Vs Buying A Home

Anyone can waste money by making bad spending decisions and relying too much on credit. But on its own, renting is a smart and flexible financial choice!

 When you rent an apartment, it's best to think of it as simply exchanging money for a place to live. Maybe that money isn't going into something you own, but you aren't making a losing bet, either. You don't have to make repairs or worry about housing bubbles, slowing home sales, or fluctuating neighborhood pricing.

 Sure, people who rent more space than they need or who live in a hot part of town and pay ridiculously high rent are wasting their money. Amenities in hip areas are more expensive, so they're paying more for rent and for everything else, too.

 Renting vs. buying a home is a big decision, and there are pros and cons to each option. A higher percentage of U.S. households are renting than at any point since 1965, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data released in 2016.

 For some people, renting comes down to what they can afford at the moment.

 Here are five questions to ask when considering renting vs. buying:

1.     What can you afford?

2.     How long do you plan to stay in the home?

3.     Do you want stability or flexibility?

4.     Can you afford to be responsible for home repairs/maintenance?

5.     What are your financial, career and family goals?

 Differences between renting vs. buying

Renting vs. buying a home isn’t a matter of ownership. Here are other key differences between the two options.

 General Statistics About Housing in the U.S.

·       The housing industry represents more than a quarter of our nation’s total investment dollars and about 5% of our total economy.

·       There are currently over 136.57 million housing units in the U.S.

·       930,000 of housing units in the U.S. are rentals.

·       In 2018, the total number of homeowner households hit an all-time high of 76.2 million.

·       36.6% of households rent their homes.

·       The rental vacancy rate is 7.2%; the homeowner vacancy rate is 1.6%. The national rental vacancy rate rose in 2018 for the first time since 2009, ticking up from 6.9% to 7.2%.

According to the 2018 census, the homeownership rate is 64.4%

 Cities Where Renters are the Majority

Toledo, OH

Memphis, TN

Tampa, FL

Hialeah, FL

Stockton, CA

Honolulu, HI

Anaheim, CA

Baton Rouge, LA

Santa Ana, CA

Columbus, OH

Detroit, MI

Clevalen, OH

Baltimore, MD

St. Louis, MO

Minneapolis, MN

San Bernadino

 Eviction in the United States

The procedure and rate of eviction in the United States vary by locality. Landlord-initiated expulsion of tenants is not officially tracked or monitored by the Federal government and has historically not been subject to comprehensive analysis.

 Most evictions in the United States occur because the tenant cannot or will not pay rent. Landlords can also expel tenants for breaking the law, damaging property, sub-leasing, or causing a disturbance. In most American municipalities, tenants who haven't violated their lease can be expelled, in what is known as "no-fault evictions."

 Most renting families under the poverty line spend more than 50% of their income on rent, with one in four such families spending over 70% of their income on rent and utilities. About one in four low-income renters receive housing assistance. Eviction rates are higher in communities with multiple aggravating factors, including high levels of poverty. These include local laws that give advantage to landowners and a lack of available affordable housing that would increase market pressures to keep rents low.

 When housing pressures are extreme, even middle-class and working-class renters are evicted by landlords eager to capitalize on the rising market rates, such as in San Francisco during the various tech booms. In such circumstances, landlords may seize upon minor violations that were previously tolerated, such as keeping a small pet or storing a bicycle in the hallway, to evict renters. The situation in California is aggravated by the Ellis Act, which allows landlords to evict tenants and immediately sell the vacant apartments as condominiums.

 Evictions disproportionately affect low-income women, in particular, women of color. Approximately one in five African-American women renters report being evicted at some point in their life, while the equivalent rate for white women renters is one in 15. Victims of domestic violence and families with children are also at high risk of eviction. Renters who appear in eviction court are three times more likely to actually be evicted if they live with children.

 Buying a house can build equity

Homebuyers can capitalize on the equity of their home accumulates over time. That means if the home’s value goes up, you’ll cash in on the higher value when you sell. Plus, with a fixed-rate mortgage, you won’t have to worry about rising rents.

Tax implications

Another factor for buyers to consider is whether you will be able to deduct the mortgage interest at tax time. Tax laws allow those who itemize their taxes to write off their mortgage interest payments. However, not everyone is eligible to itemize deductions, and changes to the tax laws in 2018 means that more people won’t be able to deduct as much of their mortgage interest and property taxes as they used to.

Home maintenance costs

Homes need repairs and maintenance over time, and when you’re renting, those costs are generally the landlord’s responsibility. For instance, in an apartment, if the HVAC system or refrigerator breaks, the landlord has to fix it. On the other hand, as a homeowner, you’ll be on the hook for those repairs and ongoing seasonal maintenance, and they can add up fast.

Want flexibility? Rent

If you’re moving to an unfamiliar city, have an unstable job situation or don’t know what neighborhood will feel like home, renting for a while can be a great option.

 Renting vs. buying a home: A comparison

 Buying

·       Advantages

May build equity and credit

No landlord to answer to

More stability (especially with schools)

Possible tax benefits

Can improve or upgrade home to your taste

·       Disadvantages

Requires substantial money, paperwork upfront

Could lose money if home values decline

Extra expenses beyond mortgage payments

Rising home prices and low inventory in many markets

Responsible for repairs, remodeling

  Renting

·       Advantages

Fewer upfront costs and paperwork

Freedom to be more mobile

Not responsible for maintenance, repairs

No need to worry about falling home values

Build credit (if your landlord reports rent payments to the credit bureaus)

No property tax bills

·       Disadvantages

The landlord can raise the rent or sell the property

Choices may be limited depending on vacancies

Might have to move multiple times

Don’t build equity

No tax benefits

 Bottom line: Choose what’s right for you

It will be very helpful to talk with a trusted real estate agent to help you think through the decision to rent vs. buy a home. Real estate agents are professionals who work on your behalf and advocate for your interests. In most cases, sellers have a real estate agent working for them so you want someone on your side who has your back in negotiations and can help you understand the complex lingo in contracts, for example.

  Stay tuned for my next blog!

I am your Wellness LifeStyle Real Estate Advisor.

Broker/ Owner: Cynthia McGuire

Real Estate License Number: 3279376

Office Address: 7000 W Palmetto Park Rd # 210

Boca Raton, FL 33433

Contact #: 561 - 542 - 2262

Email: GreenerGlobeRE@gmail.com

Website: http://greenergloberealtygroup.com

   Sources:

https://www.bankrate.com/real-estate/renting-vs-buying-a-home/

https://ipropertymanagement.com/renters-vs-homeowners-statistics/

https://moneywise.com/a/heres-why-paying-rent-isnt-throwing-away-money

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eviction_in_the_United_States

[buynsellsolar-blog]

Safari Energy installing 2.3-MW of rooftop solar projects at coastal state shopping malls

New Post published on http://roofnrays.com/safari-energy-installing-2-3-mw-of-rooftop-solar-projects-at-coastal-state-shopping-malls/

Safari Energy installing 2.3-MW of rooftop solar projects at coastal state shopping malls

Washington Prime Group has entered into agreements with Safari Energy to install solar panels on the rooftops of Jefferson Valley Mall and Weberstown Mall, located in Yorktown Heights, New York, and Stockton, California.

Under the terms of the agreements, Safari Energy will develop, finance and build the projects, with Washington Prime Group purchasing all the electricity generated by the systems from Safari.

“While I admittedly have no technical expertise whatsoever with respect to alternative energy, I have two teenage daughters and they sure as heck know reducing fossil fuel consumption is a ‘no brainer,’” said Lou Conforti, CEO and director of Washington Prime Group. “Sustainability is important to Washington Prime Group and we will continue to implement such measures which strike the delicate balance between operating efficacy, financial prudence and such unalienable rights as clean air and freshwater.”

With the approximately 1.1-MW rooftop solar system at Jefferson Valley Mall and approximately 1.3 MW system at Weberstown Mall, the company will convert unused roof space into a productive source of energy for the centers. The system at Jefferson Valley is in the process of being installed, and the system at Weberstown Mall is expected to be installed in 2020. While significant cost savings are not expected for Washington Prime Group or its tenants, the systems combined are expected to generate over 2.5 million kWh a year.

These will be the first rooftop solar installations for Washington Prime Group. The Company is exploring all opportunities to create shareholder value, as well as reducing its carbon footprint and energy consumption throughout its portfolio as part of its ESG Sustainability efforts. The Company is working with Safari Energy to explore additional solar opportunities at other town centers.

News item from Washington Prime Group

[dougv00]

Host: Douglas Vigil, Thank my Guest Richard Travassos, Broker & Owner of Majestic Property Management Inc. 12/02/2018 WHY CHOOSE MAJESTIC PROPERTY MANAGEMENT? Choose Majestic Property Management because it is the right choice. Some might say,” The only company they would entrust their home”, but why? To effectively manage rental property, one must understand the complexities of professional property management. Having a real estate license alone is far from the only qualification. On a daily basis, a property management company must be able to field hundreds of communications from tenants, property owners, contractors, vendors, appraisers, city inspectors, real estate agents, etc. All of which deal with tasks that must be carried out with the property owners best interest in mind, as well as, follow all applicable laws and regulations. The only way to handle all of these tasks effectively is with great communication skills, organization, and intelligence; and that is where Majestic Property Management is different. We are a real company offering real service. At Majestic Property Management our company slogan is “Treating You Like Royalty By Delivering a Higher Level of Service”. In order to deliver this high level of service to our clients, our company is well organized with defined employee roles. Our agents and staff are well trained, experienced, and professional. Contact us today for more information, as well as, same day sign-up service. https://www.facebook.com/KXVSradio/videos/921064894763036/ (at The Voice of Stockton on KXVS Radio) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bq6HlOvgTKs/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=13z70wm99gwvt

[davidoespailla]

10 Cities Where Americans Are Deepest in Debt—but Still Buy Homes!

Elnur/Shutterstock

Debt is one of those ugly/inevitable facts of life that no one likes to discuss, right up there with death, weight gain, and new seasons of “Bachelor in Paradise.”  But it’s becoming impossible to ignore. With the Great Recession receding further in rearview mirrors, Americans are again hitting the gas on spending, pushing household debt levels to a record $13.5 trillion this year, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. And an increasingly big chunk of that is housing debt. After all, with ever-higher home prices come ever-higher mortgages, right?

But debt burdens vary dramatically by housing market. And forget Conventional Wisdom: The places with today’s highest home prices (we’re looking at you, New York and San Fran!) are not where folks are the most debt-burdened. But make no mistake—the real estate implications of high debt loads can be huge, constraining buyers and potentially slowing price appreciation to a crawl. Correspondingly, lower debt levels can be a sign that a housing market has plenty of room to grow.

So the realtor.com® data team set out to find the places where home buyers are the deepest and the least into debt. We looked at the debt-to-income ratios—the all-important metric that accounts for all debt owed by mortgage applicants, divided by their pretax income. This ratio is a key factor in deciding how much folks will get approved for, or even if they’ll get the loan at all.

“Escalating rises in real estate prices are causing more consumers to be stretched,” says Eric Tyson, co-author of “Mortgages for Dummies,” who points out that debt-to-income ratios are rising, but have not quite hit the levels we saw during the housing bubble. “In the years ahead, we could reach the point where it really puts a lid on future price appreciation.”

To find out just how much debt home buyers have taken on, we analyzed mortgages taken out over the first eight months of 2018.* Then we calculated the median debt-to-income ratio for mortgage borrowers in the 200 largest metropolitan areas.** We limited our list to just two metros per state, to ensure some geographic diversity.

OK? So just in time for the prime Christmas buying season, let’s first check out those markets where buyers are the most stretched.

Cities where home buyers have the most debt

Claire Widman

1. Honolulu, HI

Median list price: $692,600 Median mortgage borrower’s debt-to-income ratio: 45.1%

High-rise buildings in Honolulu

voshadhi/iStock

Honolulu is dotted with high-rise condominiums with gorgeous ocean views, catering to luxury buyers from all over the world, particularly Asia. Many of these folks are so loaded they can put in all-cash offers. That pushes prices skyward, and has made it harder for locals who don’t have a few million in the bank. They’re forced to take on higher and higher debt to become homeowners.

“Everyone is competing for property here, and that’s caused prices to keep going up,” says local real estate agent Brandon Sakata, of Locations Hawaii. The limited supply of property doesn’t help matters. “When you [combine this] with the very high cost of living and jobs that don’t support this, you have home buyers stretching themselves.”

The median household income in Honolulu is only $81,300, so it’s no big surprise that many islanders are taking the biggest loans the bank will provide to get a foothold in the market. Hey, nobody ever said a ticket to paradise came cheap.

2. Riverside, CA

Median list price: $389,900 Median mortgage borrower’s debt-to-income ratio: 43.4%

Single-family home in Riverside listed for $400K

realtor.com

Californians have the highest debt in the country, according to the Federal Reserve. And residents of Riverside, about an hour inland from Los Angeles, are saddled with the double whammy of lower wages along with rising home prices. A lack of inventory is continuing to push up those costs.

“I’m just shocked at the amount of payments that a lot of people are willing to accept,” says Matthew Rundle, a local mortgage banker at Westin Mortgage.

Many families are snagging single-family homes priced around $400,000 in the suburbs, with cute front yards and a view of the mountains just outside the city. As a result, monthly mortgage payments between $2,500 to $4,000 are the norm, Rundle says.

While that may sound reasonable for California, folks in Riverside aren’t exactly making bank. The median household income is just $62,000—a far cry from the $117,500 median that folks are earning up north in San Jose, CA, the center of Silicon Valley.

“Many are accepting huge payments they can’t pay off,” says Rundle.

3. Cape Coral, FL

Median list price: $299,000 Median mortgage borrower’s debt-to-income ratio: 43%

Homes on Cape Coral’s canal system

realtor.com

The streets in Cape Coral, about two hours south of Tampa, are lined with palm trees and modern, one-story homes with access to the city’s 400-mile canal system. (Venice itself only has around 30 miles.) These canals are a big draw for baby boomers seeking second homes for retirement before they’ve paid off their first abodes. Typically, they rent out their Cape Coral homes until they’re ready to retire.

But two mortgages add up to a lot of debt.

“Now you got two residences on your credit,” says local real estate broker Mike Lombardo of Old Glory Realty.

After the housing bust, buyers held off for a while. So did landlords who got burned after tenants couldn’t pay their rent anymore. But with the economy and housing market roaring back, boomers are entering the market again, says Lombardo.

Lombardo is also seeing more younger buyers buying homes—and they tend to have the highest debt-to-income ratios.

4. Lakeland, FL

Median list price: $225,000 Median mortgage borrower’s debt-to-income ratio: 43%

Lakeland ranch home

realtor.com

Like Cape Coral, Lakeland is another retirement community boasting plenty of 55-plus developments. But it’s also popular with younger buyers, particularly those who have been priced out of nearby Tampa, FL, where median home prices are $264,950, and Orlando, FL, at $303,200.

The problem is that many of those millennials have tons of student debt and low credit scores to boot. For example, nearly half of those who graduated Southeastern University, a Lakeland school with about 4,000 undergrads, haven’t even started to pay off their loan, three years after leaving the university.

But with housing prices on the lower side, debt isn’t preventing many buyers from becoming homeowners. The brick ranch homes that are common here sell for around $175,000. And things like flood insurance and property taxes are relatively cheap in Lakeland compared to many other Florida cities.

5. El Paso, TX

Median list price: $174,000 Median mortgage borrower’s debt-to-income ratio: 43%

Downtown El Paso

DenisTangneyJr/iStock

El Paso residents are already bogged down with auto debt. Millennials in the small city that straddles the border of Texas and New Mexico have the third-highest median car loan balances in the nation, according to the online loan marketplace LendingTree. Add in mortgage debt, and locals are swimming in red ink.

“Public transportation here isn’t prevalent,” says Tom Fullerton, an economics professor at the University of Texas at El Paso. That means folks need a car to get around.

In addition, “even though housing prices are not very expensive in El Paso, the incomes are fairly low as well,” he adds. The median household income is just $44,400, well below the national median of $61,400. Smaller paychecks make it that much harder to pay off a mortgage on a modest four-bedroom home in the suburbs, going for just under $200,000.

The rest of the top 10 metros where home buyers are taking on the most debt include Stockton, CA; McAllen, TX; Greeley, CO; Las Vegas; and New York.

Now let’s take a look at where the grass is a little greener, and folks are taking on the smallest debt loads.

Cities where home buyers have the least debt

Claire Widman

1. Huntsville, AL

Median list price: $259,100 Median mortgage borrower’s debt-to-income ratio: 33.6%

Home in Huntsville

realtor.com

When you think rocket science, Alabama isn’t the first place that comes to mind. But for decades now, this town has been an aerospace hub, housing a NASA flight center and earning the nickname Rocket City. And Huntsville is still thriving, with such employers as the aircraft maker Boeing and the industrial manufacturer Siemens. This means that residents with well-paid jobs don’t need to go too much into debt to afford one of the area’s reasonably priced homes.

“Young professionals absolutely can afford to buy a home,” says Valerie Miles, a broker with Re/Max Unlimited. She also sees plenty of military families purchasing single-family homes in the region. “We have much more homeownership than renting.”

While their peers in Silicon Valley often pay seven figures for real estate, well-paid engineers in Huntsville have their choice of homes. A short drive out of downtown, home buyers will find sprawling subdivisions in communities like Big Cove, where well-appointed four-bedroom homes go for around $260,000. Now that explains why folks here aren’t exactly worried about bill collectors.

And Huntsville’s economy continues to boom. Earlier this year, Mazda and Toyota announced they would build a $1.6 billion joint plant and employ around 4,000 workers. Cue the moving vans!

2. Ann Arbor, MI

Median list price: $356,500 Median mortgage borrower’s debt-to-income ratio: 33.7%

Ann Arbor condo building

realtor.com

Ann Arbor is another under-the-radar city that’s booming. Google recently opened a new, 130,000-square-foot, tech worker campus here (complete with on-staff barista and a massage studio, natch). Ann Arbor has grown into something of a small tech hub, where well-paid techies can take advantage of lower-cost Midwestern real estate and stay out of debt.

“We see a lot of people who are selling a home in San Francisco or Los Angeles and moving here,” says local real estate professional Deb Odom Stern of the Charles Reinhart Company. “If you’re moving from a more expensive market, you’re going to be amazed at what your money can get you.”

You’re also likely to take on less debt.

And while the typical college graduate in the class of 2017 owes around $39,000, the typical University of Michigan alumni owes just $19,000, according to U.S. Department of Education data.

This walkable college town, with its shops and pizza joints, has a number of modern condo buildings with gyms and pools that sell at around $500,000. But those trying to save some money can head to the ’burbs, where there are townhomes priced at around $275,000—within walking distance of a Whole Foods.

3. Fayetteville, AR

Median list price: $275,700 Median mortgage borrower’s debt-to-income ratio: 34.2%

Fayetteville, AR

DenisTangneyJr/iStock

For the sixth straight year in a row, Walmart has ranked No. 1 on the Fortune 500 list, pulling in a revenue of $500 billion for the past year. And its headquarters in Bentonville, AR, give the surrounding Fayetteville metro area quite a boost. Having Walmart here, along with Tyson Foods and J.B. Hunt, a multi-billion-dollar trucking company,  means the region pulls in well-paid tech, marketing, and finance pros from all over the United States.

“Fayetteville has grown from a college town into a destination,” says local real estate agent Jill Bell of Crye-Leike.  

And while folks are saving up for the standard $250,000 priced single-family home in the suburbs, they won’t be spending a ton on rent. The median rent for a one-bedroom apartment here is just $593, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. 

4. Durham, NC

Median list price: $360,000 Median mortgage borrower’s debt-to-income ratio: 34.5%

New construction home in Durham

realtor.com

Durham continues to flex its tech and engineering muscles, as the region attracts more skilled workers. In fact, Apple appears close to opening up a new campus in Durham’s Research Triangle Park. The campus is home to around 170 companies offering countless tech, data, and engineering jobs.

And unlike in many tech hubs, builders in Durham are answering the need for more homes. New construction makes up around 35% of houses listed on realtor.com in Durham. Streets in communities like Sherron Farms, a designed community, are filled with new three and four-bedroom two-story homes that come with crown molding and granite countertops. The best part? They start at around $300,000. Take that, Silicon Valley!

5. South Bend, IN

Median list price: $160,000 Median mortgage borrower’s debt-to-income ratio: 34.5%

Victorian home in South Bend

realtor.com

News flash: South Bend isn’t Chicago. It doesn’t have the high prices (the median is $289,950 in Chicago,) expensive property taxes, and traffic of its gigantic neighbor two hours to the east on Lake Michigan. And that’s made the college town of South Bend something of a go-to for Illinois expats.

“They see how much they can get with their money,” says Beau Dunfee, managing broker at Weichert Realtors, Jim Dunfee & Associates in South Bend. “So they make the move.”

The city revolves around the University of Notre Dame and its Fighting Irish football team. The college and its respected law and business schools ensure that this city has a number of well-paid professionals. And these folks are buying up colorful 100-year-old Victorian homes that line the historic downtown.

“We really don’t see a lot of debt, because the homes are so affordable. People can easily save up for a 20% threshold,” Dunfee says. And bigger down payments mean smaller mortgages.

The rest of the top 10 metros where home buyers are in the least debt include Birmingham, AL; Madison, WI; Lansing, MI; Charlottesville, VA; and Fort Wayne, IN.

* Mortgage data is from Optimal Blue, a digital mortgage trading platform.

** A metropolitan statistical area is a designation that includes the urban core of a city and the surrounding smaller towns and cities.

Allison Underhill contributed to this story.

The post 10 Cities Where Americans Are Deepest in Debt—but Still Buy Homes! appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

10 Cities Where Americans Are Deepest in Debt—but Still Buy Homes!

[gillespialfredoe01806ld]

10 Cities Where Americans Are Deepest in Debt—but Still Buy Homes!

Elnur/Shutterstock

Debt is one of those ugly/inevitable facts of life that no one likes to discuss, right up there with death, weight gain, and new seasons of “Bachelor in Paradise.”  But it’s becoming impossible to ignore. With the Great Recession receding further in rearview mirrors, Americans are again hitting the gas on spending, pushing household debt levels to a record $13.5 trillion this year, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. And an increasingly big chunk of that is housing debt. After all, with ever-higher home prices come ever-higher mortgages, right?

But debt burdens vary dramatically by housing market. And forget Conventional Wisdom: The places with today’s highest home prices (we’re looking at you, New York and San Fran!) are not where folks are the most debt-burdened. But make no mistake—the real estate implications of high debt loads can be huge, constraining buyers and potentially slowing price appreciation to a crawl. Correspondingly, lower debt levels can be a sign that a housing market has plenty of room to grow.

So the realtor.com® data team set out to find the places where home buyers are the deepest and the least into debt. We looked at the debt-to-income ratios—the all-important metric that accounts for all debt owed by mortgage applicants, divided by their pretax income. This ratio is a key factor in deciding how much folks will get approved for, or even if they’ll get the loan at all.

“Escalating rises in real estate prices are causing more consumers to be stretched,” says Eric Tyson, co-author of “Mortgages for Dummies,” who points out that debt-to-income ratios are rising, but have not quite hit the levels we saw during the housing bubble. “In the years ahead, we could reach the point where it really puts a lid on future price appreciation.”

To find out just how much debt home buyers have taken on, we analyzed mortgages taken out over the first eight months of 2018.* Then we calculated the median debt-to-income ratio for mortgage borrowers in the 200 largest metropolitan areas.** We limited our list to just two metros per state, to ensure some geographic diversity.

OK? So just in time for the prime Christmas buying season, let’s first check out those markets where buyers are the most stretched.

Cities where home buyers have the most debt

Claire Widman

1. Honolulu, HI

Median list price: $692,600 Median mortgage borrower’s debt-to-income ratio: 45.1%

High-rise buildings in Honolulu

voshadhi/iStock

Honolulu is dotted with high-rise condominiums with gorgeous ocean views, catering to luxury buyers from all over the world, particularly Asia. Many of these folks are so loaded they can put in all-cash offers. That pushes prices skyward, and has made it harder for locals who don’t have a few million in the bank. They’re forced to take on higher and higher debt to become homeowners.

“Everyone is competing for property here, and that’s caused prices to keep going up,” says local real estate agent Brandon Sakata, of Locations Hawaii. The limited supply of property doesn’t help matters. “When you [combine this] with the very high cost of living and jobs that don’t support this, you have home buyers stretching themselves.”

The median household income in Honolulu is only $81,300, so it’s no big surprise that many islanders are taking the biggest loans the bank will provide to get a foothold in the market. Hey, nobody ever said a ticket to paradise came cheap.

2. Riverside, CA

Median list price: $389,900 Median mortgage borrower’s debt-to-income ratio: 43.4%

Single-family home in Riverside listed for $400K

realtor.com

Californians have the highest debt in the country, according to the Federal Reserve. And residents of Riverside, about an hour inland from Los Angeles, are saddled with the double whammy of lower wages along with rising home prices. A lack of inventory is continuing to push up those costs.

“I’m just shocked at the amount of payments that a lot of people are willing to accept,” says Matthew Rundle, a local mortgage banker at Westin Mortgage.

Many families are snagging single-family homes priced around $400,000 in the suburbs, with cute front yards and a view of the mountains just outside the city. As a result, monthly mortgage payments between $2,500 to $4,000 are the norm, Rundle says.

While that may sound reasonable for California, folks in Riverside aren’t exactly making bank. The median household income is just $62,000—a far cry from the $117,500 median that folks are earning up north in San Jose, CA, the center of Silicon Valley.

“Many are accepting huge payments they can’t pay off,” says Rundle.

3. Cape Coral, FL

Median list price: $299,000 Median mortgage borrower’s debt-to-income ratio: 43%

Homes on Cape Coral’s canal system

realtor.com

The streets in Cape Coral, about two hours south of Tampa, are lined with palm trees and modern, one-story homes with access to the city’s 400-mile canal system. (Venice itself only has around 30 miles.) These canals are a big draw for baby boomers seeking second homes for retirement before they’ve paid off their first abodes. Typically, they rent out their Cape Coral homes until they’re ready to retire.

But two mortgages add up to a lot of debt.

“Now you got two residences on your credit,” says local real estate broker Mike Lombardo of Old Glory Realty.

After the housing bust, buyers held off for a while. So did landlords who got burned after tenants couldn’t pay their rent anymore. But with the economy and housing market roaring back, boomers are entering the market again, says Lombardo.

Lombardo is also seeing more younger buyers buying homes—and they tend to have the highest debt-to-income ratios.

4. Lakeland, FL

Median list price: $225,000 Median mortgage borrower’s debt-to-income ratio: 43%

Lakeland ranch home

realtor.com

Like Cape Coral, Lakeland is another retirement community boasting plenty of 55-plus developments. But it’s also popular with younger buyers, particularly those who have been priced out of nearby Tampa, FL, where median home prices are $264,950, and Orlando, FL, at $303,200.

The problem is that many of those millennials have tons of student debt and low credit scores to boot. For example, nearly half of those who graduated Southeastern University, a Lakeland school with about 4,000 undergrads, haven’t even started to pay off their loan, three years after leaving the university.

But with housing prices on the lower side, debt isn’t preventing many buyers from becoming homeowners. The brick ranch homes that are common here sell for around $175,000. And things like flood insurance and property taxes are relatively cheap in Lakeland compared to many other Florida cities.

5. El Paso, TX

Median list price: $174,000 Median mortgage borrower’s debt-to-income ratio: 43%

Downtown El Paso

DenisTangneyJr/iStock

El Paso residents are already bogged down with auto debt. Millennials in the small city that straddles the border of Texas and New Mexico have the third-highest median car loan balances in the nation, according to the online loan marketplace LendingTree. Add in mortgage debt, and locals are swimming in red ink.

“Public transportation here isn’t prevalent,” says Tom Fullerton, an economics professor at the University of Texas at El Paso. That means folks need a car to get around.

In addition, “even though housing prices are not very expensive in El Paso, the incomes are fairly low as well,” he adds. The median household income is just $44,400, well below the national median of $61,400. Smaller paychecks make it that much harder to pay off a mortgage on a modest four-bedroom home in the suburbs, going for just under $200,000.

The rest of the top 10 metros where home buyers are taking on the most debt include Stockton, CA; McAllen, TX; Greeley, CO; Las Vegas; and New York.

Now let’s take a look at where the grass is a little greener, and folks are taking on the smallest debt loads.

Cities where home buyers have the least debt

Claire Widman

1. Huntsville, AL

Median list price: $259,100 Median mortgage borrower’s debt-to-income ratio: 33.6%

Home in Huntsville

realtor.com

When you think rocket science, Alabama isn’t the first place that comes to mind. But for decades now, this town has been an aerospace hub, housing a NASA flight center and earning the nickname Rocket City. And Huntsville is still thriving, with such employers as the aircraft maker Boeing and the industrial manufacturer Siemens. This means that residents with well-paid jobs don’t need to go too much into debt to afford one of the area’s reasonably priced homes.

“Young professionals absolutely can afford to buy a home,” says Valerie Miles, a broker with Re/Max Unlimited. She also sees plenty of military families purchasing single-family homes in the region. “We have much more homeownership than renting.”

While their peers in Silicon Valley often pay seven figures for real estate, well-paid engineers in Huntsville have their choice of homes. A short drive out of downtown, home buyers will find sprawling subdivisions in communities like Big Cove, where well-appointed four-bedroom homes go for around $260,000. Now that explains why folks here aren’t exactly worried about bill collectors.

And Huntsville’s economy continues to boom. Earlier this year, Mazda and Toyota announced they would build a $1.6 billion joint plant and employ around 4,000 workers. Cue the moving vans!

2. Ann Arbor, MI

Median list price: $356,500 Median mortgage borrower’s debt-to-income ratio: 33.7%

Ann Arbor condo building

realtor.com

Ann Arbor is another under-the-radar city that’s booming. Google recently opened a new, 130,000-square-foot, tech worker campus here (complete with on-staff barista and a massage studio, natch). Ann Arbor has grown into something of a small tech hub, where well-paid techies can take advantage of lower-cost Midwestern real estate and stay out of debt.

“We see a lot of people who are selling a home in San Francisco or Los Angeles and moving here,” says local real estate professional Deb Odom Stern of the Charles Reinhart Company. “If you’re moving from a more expensive market, you’re going to be amazed at what your money can get you.”

You’re also likely to take on less debt.

And while the typical college graduate in the class of 2017 owes around $39,000, the typical University of Michigan alumni owes just $19,000, according to U.S. Department of Education data.

This walkable college town, with its shops and pizza joints, has a number of modern condo buildings with gyms and pools that sell at around $500,000. But those trying to save some money can head to the ’burbs, where there are townhomes priced at around $275,000—within walking distance of a Whole Foods.

3. Fayetteville, AR

Median list price: $275,700 Median mortgage borrower’s debt-to-income ratio: 34.2%

Fayetteville, AR

DenisTangneyJr/iStock

For the sixth straight year in a row, Walmart has ranked No. 1 on the Fortune 500 list, pulling in a revenue of $500 billion for the past year. And its headquarters in Bentonville, AR, give the surrounding Fayetteville metro area quite a boost. Having Walmart here, along with Tyson Foods and J.B. Hunt, a multi-billion-dollar trucking company,  means the region pulls in well-paid tech, marketing, and finance pros from all over the United States.

“Fayetteville has grown from a college town into a destination,” says local real estate agent Jill Bell of Crye-Leike.  

And while folks are saving up for the standard $250,000 priced single-family home in the suburbs, they won’t be spending a ton on rent. The median rent for a one-bedroom apartment here is just $593, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. 

4. Durham, NC

Median list price: $360,000 Median mortgage borrower’s debt-to-income ratio: 34.5%

New construction home in Durham

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Durham continues to flex its tech and engineering muscles, as the region attracts more skilled workers. In fact, Apple appears close to opening up a new campus in Durham’s Research Triangle Park. The campus is home to around 170 companies offering countless tech, data, and engineering jobs.

And unlike in many tech hubs, builders in Durham are answering the need for more homes. New construction makes up around 35% of houses listed on realtor.com in Durham. Streets in communities like Sherron Farms, a designed community, are filled with new three and four-bedroom two-story homes that come with crown molding and granite countertops. The best part? They start at around $300,000. Take that, Silicon Valley!

5. South Bend, IN

Median list price: $160,000 Median mortgage borrower’s debt-to-income ratio: 34.5%

Victorian home in South Bend

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News flash: South Bend isn’t Chicago. It doesn’t have the high prices (the median is $289,950 in Chicago,) expensive property taxes, and traffic of its gigantic neighbor two hours to the east on Lake Michigan. And that’s made the college town of South Bend something of a go-to for Illinois expats.

“They see how much they can get with their money,” says Beau Dunfee, managing broker at Weichert Realtors, Jim Dunfee & Associates in South Bend. “So they make the move.”

The city revolves around the University of Notre Dame and its Fighting Irish football team. The college and its respected law and business schools ensure that this city has a number of well-paid professionals. And these folks are buying up colorful 100-year-old Victorian homes that line the historic downtown.

“We really don’t see a lot of debt, because the homes are so affordable. People can easily save up for a 20% threshold,” Dunfee says. And bigger down payments mean smaller mortgages.

The rest of the top 10 metros where home buyers are in the least debt include Birmingham, AL; Madison, WI; Lansing, MI; Charlottesville, VA; and Fort Wayne, IN.

* Mortgage data is from Optimal Blue, a digital mortgage trading platform.

** A metropolitan statistical area is a designation that includes the urban core of a city and the surrounding smaller towns and cities.

Allison Underhill contributed to this story.

The post 10 Cities Where Americans Are Deepest in Debt—but Still Buy Homes! appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

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