Brickbat: Don't Get Too Nosy

The Oakland, California, city council has unanimously voted to ban landlords from performing criminal background checks of potential renters. They will also no longer be legally able to turn down renters because of a criminal conviction. The California Apartment Association opposed the law but says it will not challenge it in court.

Comments

[Rat on a train (non donor)]

Just before the vote, Oakland City Councilmember Larry Reid said the ordinance will even benefit his own son, who will get out of prison in just a few months.
He also said he may need it in the future.

[R Mac]

So what corrupt shit did he do to make sure his son has a job when he gets out?

[Fist of Etiquette]

Property rights. Who needs 'em?

[Will Nonya]

Property rights? Why you elitist pig, why do you hate the poor? You must be a republican, siding with these slum lord's over hard working Americans.

Did I miss anything?

[Will Nonya]

I see here that you have multiple convictions for fraud, destruction of property, grand theft and a violent assault. I hope you enjoy living in my Malibu beach house.

[Jerryskids]

Is there a liability waiver so that when one of your tenants robs or rapes or kills the neighboring tenant you're not going to be sued out of your socks for failing to do your due diligence? I'd guess not - we'd have heard the trial lawyers squealing from here.

[Jeb Kerman]

It's a set up. Rent your house to a junkie because you can't keep them out. They don't pay rent and you can't kick them out. They smoke meth and ruin your house, so you call the cops who show up, arrest the tenant and put him on the street and seize your house and sell it to buy a new paint job on their cruiser.

Now you and the tenant are dependent and subservient to the state.

This is designed to eliminate property ownership.

[loveconstitution1789]

+10000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

[Longtobefree]

It's California. Don't live there. Problem solved.

[Crackers Boy]

I feel about California Brickbats like I feel about U.K. Brickbats. Who cares? It's not America. Let me know when that happens here in my country. I may get upset then.

CB

[Sometimes a Great Notion]

3A violation? If the government can't force you to quarter a solider in time of peace, why does it think it can for a criminal?

[Eddy]

Example #754 of how the distinction between "culture-war issues" and "economic issues" is really blurry and often hard to perceive.

[Boomer]

> The California Apartment Association opposed the law but says it will not challenge it in court.

Given the USA's obsession with RULZ, I would imagine it's getting harder and harder to find renters who have no criminal record.

[Brandybuck]

One can always find ways not to rent to a particular individual. And always ways to check up on someone's past.

[Eddy]

"So, Mr. Brown, what proportion of your renters were convicted of crimes? None of them, according to my research. This is really suspicious to me, and we're going to open an investigation."

[Eddy]

"Also, we took the liberty of sending out actors pretending to be tenant applicants with similar backgrounds...in fact, the only difference was that one of them had a criminal record...our research shows you offered the apartment to the one *without* the criminal background.

"We also took the liberty of checking your social media posts, and it seems you're a law-and-order Republican kind of guy. There's your motive.

"I think we have a fairly solid case. Care to sign this settlement agreement promising to rent to a certain number of felons, or would you like to face crippling fines?"

[Jerry B.]

But next year, they’ll require landlords to check if tenants possess firearms, and report them to the city.

[Unicorn Abattoir]

No criminal background checks?

It's Oakland, CA. Can't the assumption just be made?

[squid_hunt]

This should fix the California housing crisis.

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