Oakland Approves Ban On Background Checks For Prospective Renters

CBS 5 SF Bay Area ^ | January 21, 2020 | Joe Vazquez

[C19fan]

Following a unanimous vote by the city council Tuesday night, Oakland has now become the first city in California to ban criminal background checks on potential renters.

“Indescribable emotions and feelings,” said John Jones III of Oakland, who got out of prison in 2012 and struggled to find a place to live in Oakland despite his well-paying job as an aviation mechanic.

Jones said he’s among the many who left prison only to end up on the streets, contributing to Oakland’s homeless crisis. That’s why he’s been lobbying hard for the Oakland City Council to pass the Fair Chance Housing Ordinance, which says landlords will no longer be allowed to turn down potential renters because of criminal convictions.

[Boogieman]

“Wait until some woman is raped by a repeat sexual offender.”

In Chicago, that’s the one exemption to the law they passed against background checks. We can exclude sex offenders at least.

Not sure if that holds true in other cities passing these laws though.

[samtheman]

Wait until some woman is raped by a repeat sexual offender.
—
Won’t change anything any more than massive rapes in Europe change anything.

[Truth29]

"I will be looking forward to the stories of how badly this backfires on property owners."

That won't be a backfire, it will be a feature. Rents will go way up, units will be withdrawn from the market, investment property values will go down, and then the government will step in to save the day with rent control, public housing, etc.

[hanamizu]

“BUT will they have to pass a background check to purchase a Firearm?”

---

This is California, they have to pass a background check to buy ammunition. But the right to rent an apartment is a right guaranteed and enshrined in our Constitution. The “right” to firearms are merely a gross misinterpretation of the 2nd Amendment by NRA-appointed Justices that overturned centuries of the correct reading: the states have the right to form National Guards.

OK, here’s the /s for those who need it.

[max americana]

“struggled to find a place to live in Oakland despite his well-paying job as an aviation mechanic.”

Funny. They used the best example but these hypocrites will not tell stories of ordinary “renters” who have a really bad history of violence.

[C19fan]

That is the modus operandi. The LGBT Lobby would haul out the elderly Lesbo couples who for gay marriage.

[hanamizu]

I will be looking forward to the stories of how badly this backfires on property owners.

---

If this were to backfire on anyone, it would be the city council who voted this in. Rest assured it won’t backfire on them. Property owners, who likely didn’t press for this law will get to reap the “benefits”.

[hanamizu]

I will be looking forward to the stories of how badly this backfires on property owners.

---

If this were to backfire on anyone, it would be the city council who voted this in. Rest assured it won’t backfire on them. Property owners, who likely didn’t press for this law will get to reap the “benefits”.

[GSWarrior]

Next up: a quota system for apartment owners...you must rent __% to criminals and illegals.

[dfwgator]

All meant to discourage people from becoming landlords, so that the government can take over housing.

[CodeToad]

That won’t pass court challenge.

[dfwgator]

Looks like rent is going to be going up.

Until Rent Control kicks in, that's the next step.

[GOPJ]

The more presentable properties will go co-op or condo. The section 8 stuff will be abandoned for taxes. This insane law will be the first of many... if I owned rental property in Oakland I'd be dumping it.

[dfwgator]

That won’t pass court challenge.

Wanna bet?

[dfwgator]

Then of course the next step, is to ban landlords selling their properties unless it’s to the government for pennies on the dollar.

[zeestephen]

The same issue is pending in Seattle.

The Seattle City Council is also trying to forbid criminal background checks for job applicants.

[KevinB]

Anal background checks?

That sounds painful.

Not to Mayor Pete.

[Chickensoup]

I am a landlord.

I essentially do colonoscopies on prospective tenants. And I tell them, everyone gets this treatment.

They all have appreciated it.

[Stravinsky]

Just another attack on private ownership. The Left is very good at playing the long game.

[OrangeHoof]

California: What really matters is if our felons are happy.