Re: Downtown New Residential Units
Posted: Thu Feb 17, 2022 8:18 pm
Not to my knowledge, just the new owner and them taking a look at daylighting the historic facade. Sounds like a tax credit / conversion move to me, but nothing has been reported.
I saw that article back in December. Super exciting, but I was just wondering if there had been any updates since then. After learning about that place for years now I’m anxious to see a renovation happen
How...? Well if they get organized effectively across all of MAC's buildings with a high enough level of participation and then call for a rent strike or something. It would be hard to pull off but it could be done.DColeKC wrote: ↑Wed Oct 19, 2022 7:57 am This KC tenants group seems to lack even a basic understanding. How do customers form a union to tell the business owners how to operate? Has anyone taught them what capitalism is? Has anyone taught them there’s no money to be made in affordable housing construction?
Since the beginning of what time? Tax subsidies gives one an advantage over another, government choosing one over the other. That is the opposite of what capitalism is, the market decides, not the government.DColeKC wrote: ↑Wed Oct 19, 2022 9:29 am Since the beginning of time?
Tax subsidies aren't anti-capitalism but that's not event the point. These groups don't seem to want to accept reality. What landlord can afford to build $500/month apartments? Even on a micro-level? Of course, if a landlord DID build apartments they could rent for $500-$700 a month, the tenants would than say they're not nice enough, too small and lack amenities.
Same people want fast food workers to be paid $20/hr but don't want the price of the food to go up.
I've been in their shoes. I was once on section 8 housing and barely got by for years. I also didn't think I deserved to live downtown or in a fancy neighborhood because I was realistic. That's all I'm asking them to do, be realistic and understand why things work the way they do.aknowledgeableperson wrote: ↑Wed Oct 19, 2022 4:23 pmSince the beginning of what time? Tax subsidies gives one an advantage over another, government choosing one over the other. That is the opposite of what capitalism is, the market decides, not the government.DColeKC wrote: ↑Wed Oct 19, 2022 9:29 am Since the beginning of time?
Tax subsidies aren't anti-capitalism but that's not event the point. These groups don't seem to want to accept reality. What landlord can afford to build $500/month apartments? Even on a micro-level? Of course, if a landlord DID build apartments they could rent for $500-$700 a month, the tenants would than say they're not nice enough, too small and lack amenities.
Same people want fast food workers to be paid $20/hr but don't want the price of the food to go up.
Otherwise you are making big assumptions on a certain group of people. Try taking a walk in their shoes and see what you experience.
Parkings lots. This is replacing parking lotsaknowledgeableperson wrote: ↑Thu Oct 20, 2022 1:11 am " That's all I'm asking them to do, be realistic and understand why things work the way they do."
So they are just suppose to accept that people with money and connections can just take over their neighborhood and drive them out just because they are undesirable. That is what they understand how things are working.
Tenants have been forming tenant organizations in large cities for decades. And yes, they do tell the business owner what to do on occasion, and how to operate. "Fix the boiler, or we will withhold rent en masse."DColeKC wrote: ↑Wed Oct 19, 2022 7:57 am This KC tenants group seems to lack even a basic understanding. How do customers form a union to tell the business owners how to operate? Has anyone taught them what capitalism is? Has anyone taught them there’s no money to be made in affordable housing construction?
I can tell you’re not changing your views on this so not sure why I’m still engaging. First of all, I’ve seen no real evidence that people are being driven out. If rent prices being raised overtime as the expenses also go up is driving them out, how is that because they are “undesirable”?aknowledgeableperson wrote: ↑Thu Oct 20, 2022 1:11 am " That's all I'm asking them to do, be realistic and understand why things work the way they do."
So they are just suppose to accept that people with money and connections can just take over their neighborhood and drive them out just because they are undesirable. That is what they understand how things are working.
I get that anyone can form a union. They can serve a good cause like you mentioned, holding the landlords accountable. What they can’t do is tell landlords how to operate their business. They can try. They can suggest and they can make threats but most landlords aren’t getting rich off your rent.FangKC wrote: ↑Thu Oct 20, 2022 5:28 amTenants have been forming tenant organizations in large cities for decades. And yes, they do tell the business owner what to do on occasion, and how to operate. "Fix the boiler, or we will withhold rent en masse."DColeKC wrote: ↑Wed Oct 19, 2022 7:57 am This KC tenants group seems to lack even a basic understanding. How do customers form a union to tell the business owners how to operate? Has anyone taught them what capitalism is? Has anyone taught them there’s no money to be made in affordable housing construction?
Tenant unions can have rights similar to worker unions. They can be particularly effective in dealing with absentee landlords or those who are not providing basic building maintenance or adhering to city ordinances and codes. They can negotiate tenant/landlord disputes. They can as an organization sue the landlord(s). Tenant organizations can band together and legally withhold rent by placing it in an escrow account until the repairs are made, or the dispute is resolved.
https://www.findlaw.com/realestate/land ... tions.html
When I lived in NYC, the first building I lived in had a tenant's organization and the building only had twelve units. The second building I lived in also had one, and it had 130 units.
There are specific building tenant unions, but there are also neighborhood and community tenant organizations that lobby governments on issues.
Yes, I lived in a building in Brooklyn for three years before moving here. We collaborated with a building on the opposite block owned by the same landlord to organize. Nearly all of the units were rent stabilized and there was frequent neglect in order to get the units to turn over (which by the rules made it easier/faster to deregulate them). I was not in the leadership of the group but solidarity made everyone better off, we had to threaten a rent strike twice in the three years I lived there.FangKC wrote: ↑Thu Oct 20, 2022 5:28 amTenants have been forming tenant organizations in large cities for decades. And yes, they do tell the business owner what to do on occasion, and how to operate. "Fix the boiler, or we will withhold rent en masse."DColeKC wrote: ↑Wed Oct 19, 2022 7:57 am This KC tenants group seems to lack even a basic understanding. How do customers form a union to tell the business owners how to operate? Has anyone taught them what capitalism is? Has anyone taught them there’s no money to be made in affordable housing construction?
Tenant unions can have rights similar to worker unions. They can be particularly effective in dealing with absentee landlords or those who are not providing basic building maintenance or adhering to city ordinances and codes. They can negotiate tenant/landlord disputes. They can as an organization sue the landlord(s). Tenant organizations can band together and legally withhold rent by placing it in an escrow account until the repairs are made, or the dispute is resolved.
https://www.findlaw.com/realestate/land ... tions.html
When I lived in NYC, the first building I lived in had a tenant's organization and the building only had twelve units. The second building I lived in also had one, and it had 130 units.
There are specific building tenant unions, but there are also neighborhood and community tenant organizations that lobby governments on issues.
Yes, please, spare a thought for the unfortunate landlord who can't generate a profit off of housing the poors. We must "accept reality." Which reality? The reality that for-profit housing that leaves thousands of people homeless is an intentional policy choice and not an inevitable law of nature? No, the other "reality," the one where you don't deserve a home if you can't pad someone's bottom line.DColeKC wrote: ↑Wed Oct 19, 2022 9:29 am Since the beginning of time?
Tax subsidies aren't anti-capitalism but that's not event the point. These groups don't seem to want to accept reality. What landlord can afford to build $500/month apartments? Even on a micro-level? Of course, if a landlord DID build apartments they could rent for $500-$700 a month, the tenants would than say they're not nice enough, too small and lack amenities.
Same people want fast food workers to be paid $20/hr but don't want the price of the food to go up.
I agree that they should educate themselves, and have demonstrated a lack of knowledge thus far. However, we should tread lightly mocking them simply because many low-income tenants sometimes don't have good educations or connections with people who are well-educated and professionals like attorneys who might help them. They have the fewest resources of any among us. Yes, they have made mistakes, but we shouldn't be demonizing them for attempting to stand up for themselves. In their minds, they are being threatened and many of them likely feel they have no place to go if they are displaced. Which is probably true. They often are vulnerable financially and rent from landlords who do exploit their situation. They don't have the power to confront their landlord when their house or apartment is not up to code or needs necessary repairs.