Dangerous Ideas

The City Council committee will be holding a second hearing on the Condominium Conversion Ordinance this Tuesday (Nov. 28). Minor changes might happen, but it’s still going to go before the full council. That’s going to happen on Dec. 5.

Here’s a letter from Eddie of the Oakland Tenants Union about the meetings:

To Oakland Tenants Union and supporters

The Community and Economic Development Committee (CED) of the Oakland city council will hold a second hearing on a proposal to drastically weaken the Condominium Conversion Ordinance on Tuesday, November 28. Meeting time is 4 P.M.

The committee already approved the change on November 14 but will have another discussion on it on the 28th when perhaps some modifications to the original proposal may come up.

Keep in mind that the real important city council date is on the evening of Tuesday, December 5 when the matters goes before the full city council. Nonetheless, opponents of the change are invited to appear before the CED committee on November 28. Oakland Tenants Union and members from the Coalition to Protect Rental Housing will be there.

Under the change, as many as 800 units could be converted each year, thereby taking those units out of the rental market. At its core, many owners now cannot convert their units unless another housing unit has been created to replace it. The proposal is to do away with this one to one replacement. Getting rid of the replacement requirement would make it a whole lot easier to convert a unit and have it sell for a price higher than most tenants could afford. One of the things people can demand is that the city’s Planning staff conduct a systematic study of determining if tenants want the change, and how many will be evicted from their rented apartment because the buying price is too high.

The CED committee meets at City Hall, probably Hearing Room One.

Call 510 444-6089 for feedback or questions.

Eddie Ytuarte, Oakland Tenants Union