Monday Hotsheet at 3 a.m.
JM, Nice Weather, 1.26.08
Joseph Mailander a guy in la • elsewhere • email
There will also be an election in June, and the big issue in that one will be a State rent control proposition. Here's an early backgrounder by Patrick McGreevy. Because LA has so many rent-controlled units, impact here could be higher than anywhere else in the State. The Times' publisher Sam Zell, who owns trailer parks, donated heavily to the cause of rolling it back.
Add the voice of your truly to those finding that "S is for Sham." My op-ed in this morning's fishwrap does not so much tell you how to vote as tell you how much bad faith has been flung the voter's way in creating this proposition, which is horrifying enough.
Here we go again: every time there is weather of any kind, parts of the City's power grid shut off.
Labels: a guy in la, proposition s, rent control
Posted by Joseph F. Mailander @ 1/28/2008 07:12:00 AM
32 Comments:
::
::
::
Great piece in the Fishwrap, Joe.
Boy if everyone from Joseph on the left to Walter on the right opposes this shady measure - that should tell you something.
If you look at the list of folks who support Prop Shady its everyone who has something to gain from sucking at the public teat from AEG to Jackie Goldberg to all the city unions.
Joseph is on the left? Why does he come off like a shrill conservative?
Joseph is on the left? Why does he come off like a shrill conservative?
Because
that man's the best conservative
who lops the mould'r'd branch away.
--Tennyson
Congressman Xavier Becerra today endorsed Barack Obama for President, citing his ability to unite Americans to lead our country in a new direction. Becerra serves on the powerful House Ways and Means Committee and as the Assistant to the Speaker of the House is the highest ranking Latino in the House.
YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH GO OBAMA...LATINOS FOR OBAMA
Becerra's still holding a grudge because Villaraigosa beat him during the first mayoral race.
The average voting Latino on the street is voting against Obama.
Go Hillary!
The "average voting Latino"?
Since when do Latinos vote? Most aren't even registered, let alone vote.
Obama said he was going to give drivers license to "illegals" which is the right direction. And when Ted Kennedy and John Kerry and Caroline signed on they knew that. Whoever wins, Hil or Obama it's a win-win sit for all Mexicans here. I think both will look deep and hard at New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson as a prospect to fill in the Dem Party's V.P. slot. Personally, I could vote for Hil, Obama, and Mcain.
Thanks for your post Joe. Times owner Sam Zell owns Blue Star Mobil Home Park, which is partially in the L.A city and partially in the county off Foothill Blvd & Paxton in the Lake View Terrace area. Those type of homes are the only true "affordable housing" for Seniors and low income home owners left.
His ethics are that of a criminal. The county area of the park has no rent control. Out of approx. 170 pads, only 30 pads are under L.A. city's rent control protection. He has raised the rent on those lots up to $2,000 Most of homeowners are Seniors on a fixed income and cannot pay that price. Their homes, which used to be worth $150,000 and more are now only worth about $3,000 and there are no buyers for them. Who can afford that rent for a mobil home pad!
It appears his goal to is have the property vacated and develop the area into a business park or condos. When driving through the park, it is remarkable how many "For Sale" signs are up. Those that don't sell will eventually have to be abandoned because there's no place to move them to and it's cost prohibitive to do so. But, they can't continue to pay that rent and survive.
Zell will gain ownship of their homes through the eviction process and when vacated, ship those homes off to Mexico. So....these people lose their lifetime investment in their homes and will have nothing to show for it.
The state is supposedly trying to find a workable solution, but, it is too slow and will be too late for most of the unfortunate homeowners. The county is doing nothing!
Unethical situations like this are happening all over the state with other owners as well. There is a non profit group called www.neighborhoodfriends.com
that is trying to work with governments and Park Owners on behalf of the mobil home owners in getting laws to protect them.
Although I don't live in a mobil home I have friends in Blue Star and in my community plusmembers of my family that who live in a beautiful Park in Calimesa. I want to help protect them from such a situation happening. They are on Social Security and they have invested their life saving in order to to paid cash for their home when they retired.He is now 81 and not well and she is close behind. People should be able to have secure lives after making such an investment in their homes.
If Zell wants to develop the property that's fine but, he should be honorable and moral about it. He should reimburse those home owners fair value for their homes instead of putting them out on the street, because that is the right thing to do!
I no longer buy the Times since he purchased it. I want to help those people by spreading the word of their plight.
By the way, I agree Prop S is a Sham AND A RIPP OFF, I'm encouraging everyone to vote NO!
A blessing from the Kennedys nowadays
is "The Kiss of Omerta" ask
McCain why he is called
Ted Kennedy's bitch?
Mitt Romney's qualifications on paper alone make him better than all of
the pretenders together.
we need
1. new president..USA
2. new mayor..Los Angeles
3. new speaker..California
Hedda,
Why is it the owner's responsibility to provide them with housing? If it was promised to them when they signed a lease, great. Then they can sue for breach of contract. If he didn't provide some service he was supposed to same thing.
Its not the role of government to take from the rich to give to the poor. If you want to help these people, get a charity going for them. I would do whatever I could to help them personally but its not the role of government.
Rent control is such a sham - there is no such other thing in any other business.
If there was, I'm waiting for the government to tell Bob Smith BMW he needs to sell me an X4 for the price of a Hyundai.
Interesting phraseology: "The average voting Latino on the street is voting AGAINST Obama."
Speaking of Becerra - I forget - was he one of the FMBs or not? It would be interesting to see how the Mirthala bangers are lining up behind which Presidential candidate.
Good Mayor Sam,
The remaning two big items here, are the endorsements of,
1. Al Bore
2. Washington post
And sooner than later.
Mayor Sam surprised you would take this thread to a new low. Pleaassseeee Latinos voting against Obama is the dumbest post yet. There are many Latinos in California that have had it with the Clintons dirty politics. Becerra is the most powerful politican in the House. Cedillo also is supporting Obama because they know the Clintons are not for the miniorties but themselves. The driver's licenses are a great idea for illegals. WHY? Because it will finally start a paper trail for them and all the crime being committed can finally be traced to the illegal. Now, cops have to arrest a John Doe. I was against the license but now I see the importance of getting all these damn illegals to document. Welfare can go after them, the fraud of free services, schools etc.
ABC News' Rick Klein Reports: Rev. Al Sharpton on Monday weighed in on the raging debate inside the Democratic Party over former President Bill Clinton's advocacy on behalf of his wife's campaign, with two choice words for the former president: "Shut up."
On ABC's "The View," Sharpton said voters are hearing "race charges, race-tinged rhetoric" in the Democratic primary campaign, and called on the former president to cease.
"I think it's time for him to just be quiet," said Sharpton, who was a Democratic presidential candidate in 2004. "I think it's time for him to stop. As one of the most outspoken people in America, there's a time to shut up, and I think that time has come."
Hillary can't fight her own battle. She has to have her two timing or should I say 8 timing husband Bill doing her dirty work. BILLARY needs to shut the hell up. She's looking like a weak ass woman always needing a man to fight her battles. We don't need a weakling in the White House.
....Clinton’s Camp Seeks Gentler Democrats inside and outside the Clinton campaign on Sunday debated and in some cases bemoaned the degree to which former President Bill Clinton’s criticism of Senator Barack Obama last week had inflicted lasting damage on his wife’s presidential candidacy.
“I think his harsh style hurt Senator Clinton — it polarized the campaign and polarized the electorate, and it also made it harder for Senator Clinton’s positive message to break through,” said Celinda Lake, a Democratic strategist and pollster who is not affiliated with any of the candidates.
Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton’s campaign team, seeking to readjust after her lopsided defeat in South Carolina and amid a sense among many Democrats that Mr. Clinton had injected himself clumsily into the race, will try to shift the former president back into the sunnier, supportive-spouse role that he played before Mrs. Clinton’s loss in the Iowa caucuses, Clinton advisers said.
But Democrats said it was not clear whether the effects of Mr. Clinton’s high profile could be brushed away by having him modulate his campaign style. They said Mr. Clinton had upset some of the central themes of Mrs. Clinton’s campaign, including her appeal to women and her assertions that her time in the White House during the 1990s amounted to vital experience rather than a link to a presidency defined as much by scandal and partisan divisions as by its successes on fronts like the economy.
Despite Mrs. Clinton’s months-long efforts to build a base of support among women, Clinton advisers said they were concerned that her husband’s recent prominence may have dampened her appeal as a strong female leader
I am deeply offended that you constantly refer to the LA Times as the fishwrap of record.
HAving a an old dog with kidney and liver problems, I've found that the LA Times, when the paper is left on the floor for the dog to urinate on when she is left indoors during inclement weather, the paper is the best for absorbancy, better than the thin Daily News, or the too few pages Downtown News.
I stand by the LA Times, especially the bargain Sunday edition with lots of sections. Added to the great absortion,is the pleasure of leafing through and exposing pics of Tony V or Hil on the top for the dog to aim at.
I stand by the LA Times and praise it. Someday I may even read it again, though its been @ a decade.
Jackie Goldberg is kind of large isn't she?
Guilt by association Billary with Villaraigosa. Geraldo got Villaraigosa good when AV was staing the black vote didn't mean anything. Geraldo shot back that Mayor Hahn won against AV with the black vote and AV won against Hahn because the blacks were upset with him. Really made the Mayor of the 2nd largest city look like an idiot on national tv.
How much are the haircuts Antonio is getting in Beverly Hills costing? Why does he have 2 black SUV's with security detail, staff, his secretary all with him when he goes to get his hair colored and cut? Rumor has it he's been getting botox shots now on his face.
Geraldo is the biggest sleaze in the universe -- who cares what he thinks.
A big phony, like his gimmick of running with the bulls in Spain, when he's a cowardly backstabber.
As for women: he treated his wife like garbage, the daughter of a famous writer (guess who), who wrote about what a lowlife Geraldo is. At least the mayor never badmouthed his wife, they just hadn't gotten along for years, and no one should be forced to stay in a sterile marriage for appearances.
But Geraldo, he is the worst kind of Hispanic male on so many levels.
As for the black vote counting: of course the blacks in S C went for Obama, it was along racial lines, and it's not racist of Bill to point that out. I guess he felt hurt that they didn't stick by him more after all his civil rights record -- and if blacks voted en masse for or against someone, like against Hahn because he didn't rehire Chief Parks (everyone can see that was a good idea now), they need to grow up as a community.
The way the blacks on City Council came out in support of Gloria Jeffs was also just plain racially immature. Until blacks learn to vote on the issues not color, it will be a waste to pander to them.
There are some more educated black women especially, though, who will vote for hillary not color, and some more conservative will go for McCain.
We've seen that hispanics are starting to become more mature that way: some half will still be more likely to vote for "the" Hispanic, but the rest will vote by issues or personality.
You sound like Billary. Blacks and Latinos are smart enough to vote on issues idiot!!!! Not all think along race lines. We can't help it if the black city council members always think "racially."
""""At least the mayor never badmouthed his wife, they just hadn't gotten along for years"""
Hey, moron Antonio disrespected, humiliated, embarrassed and outright LIED to his wife and to the entire NATION. But I guess that's ok. His entire family were the jokes at dinner tables, lunches and events. And all for an easy piece of ass that is no longer around. Great judgement our Mayor has.
3:39, you have mental issues getting so worked up about someone not wanting to stay with his wife -- you Corina's cousin Roberto, maybe? You and she will both have better mental health if you learn to let go, you can't force someone to want you.
Valium, vicodin...take your pick, try one and get a good night's sleep.
Yeah, Geraldo sure made a fool out of Antonio alright, Kurt Vonnegut sure gave him good ref's for what he did to his daughter and a whole stream of women, boasting about his macho scumbag nature. So friggin' what if Antonio had a fling, he may have kept Mirthala if not for the obsession of people like you, or not -- gee, what a shock, a guy leaving his wife has an affair.
Would you have wanted him to marry her just to save face? Though for his own good, he should marry the next one he choose to go putlic with.
You, take those pills. Antonio and mirthala are old news, nothing to do with HIllary, anyway, estupido.
I don't know who Bill H is, but the gig is up. Cut your losses and stick to your own blog. Trust us. You stepped in it this time.
Mr. M., I read your op-ed twice. You laid out the argument superbly. It doesn't do us L.A. Democrats any good when our own leadership needs to spin Measure S to gain support for what is supposedly good for the city.
Measure S -- and its parsed, wayward ballot description -- is yet another example of our local leaders breaking faith with the people they serve.
To Democratic Leadership, what's wrong with just being honest about these measures?
5:06pm You got to be kidding??
How stupid can you be if your the mayor and in the public eye and think no one will find out about your affair? We know men cheat all the time but to be stupid enough to lie about it to the media over and over then get caught is really STUPID. It goes to the heart of what type of character you are as a man and Antonio showed the nation he isn't. He should have been a man and left if he was unhappy then go out and scew around. To have the media call you out is damn sad.
Hey Bill,
Don't drag the Sierra Club into your mess here.
No one cares about the mayor's affair. If they did, Hillary would be the first one to cut him out. Sorry to disappoint you.
Bart,
You better talk to him!
I am disappointed Mayor Sam.
I can't believe you are really that cold hearted.
What if in the course of performance your rent increase has always been tied to the CPI. It was always reasonable and affordable. Do you truly believe it is fair to have your rent skyrocket from what it was. You were secure and you thought you could depend on increases being reasonable as they had for many years and your now paying $400 - $600 a month for the rental of your modest space. Now with no warning your rent jumps to $2,000 a month! Now you have no choice but to pay and you will lose your home.
Do you advocate them taking your home without reimbursement of any kind. If that scenario is happening to you, how do you feel?
10:27a "Joseph is on the left?"
(squints)
No...I'm pretty sure that's a mallard.
My name is Glenn Bell I am pres. of Neighborhood Friends a coalition of manufactured homeowners throughout the state of CA.
Sam, interesting statements : Is it the owners responsibility to provide them housing?
The answer to that question is NO, and as a matter of fact he does not, not in a Mobile Home Community.
Each and every home is owned separately, by the individual homeowners.
You mentioned leases, and you are correct. Leases are usually involved, but, they would not resemble anything you have ever come across. The average lease offered in a(or by an aggressive mobile home operator) park entail roughly 400 pages of legalese, The lease itself will constitute on average 20-28 pages, but it will also reference the MRL’S 120 pages of CA, statutory Law as well as the Mobile Home Parks ACT another 100 pages of law, it will reference Federal HUD law (controls the manufacturing processes and all requirements of placements) it also references CA Civil Code, CA fair Business Code and lets not forget the all important standard CA MHP Rules and Reg’s. All of this is placed in front of a homeowner (within hours of closing on their new home.) Now normally the homeowner is a senior citizen, according to national demographics, over 67% are seniors, the others are on average disabled. Of those senior citizens, as much as half are widows. Included in those leases are as many as 62 (taken from a K&S lease) hidden costs e.g. If a park owner wants to buy a 40 thousand truck the homeowners must pay for it, if the owner wants to buy and improve a property off site the homeowners must pay for it. As far as the financial components of the lease the homeowner must agree to anywhere from a 6-9%, compounded per annum with a hidden 20% compounded bump every 5 years, that bump isn’t even mentioned until page 9. What this means financially is, if you were to sign a lease for $750. a month today in 8-10 years you would be paying over $1,800. per month for a parking lot, 30 years (which is average tenancy in a mobile home park) you. Or shall I say your mother will be paying over $12,800. per month. Remember that is only for the dirt underneath your home. Oh yea, and buy the way the homeowner is usually given an hour or so to complete this lease and they are told if they chose not to sign they must remove their property within 72 hours.
Rent Control, I personally am not a fan of it. That being said, I agree whole-heartedly with Supreme Court Justice, Sandra Day O’Conner, in her 7 page opinion in the Yee vs. the City of Escondido case. And remember this is only about rent control as it pertains to Manufactured housing communities. And I paraphrase, In a mobile home park, because of it’s special nature, the fact that both parties have made investments in, and because of the undeniable power that the land owner can exert, there MUST be rent controls to protect the weaker parties. If not the situation lends itself to indentured servitude. This does not constitute a “Takeing” because it was the park owners choice to open and invite homeowners to park on their land.
You see Sam, when this homeowner is confronted with this long term lease, they are given no option. It is a take it or leave it proposition, which by the way is illegal in CA. The law states that the park owner or their liege, MUST offer, if they are offering a long term lease, they must also offer a 12 month or shorter one as well, however, they do not.
Now as far as suing these companies, many have tried, however, in the civil arena there is an unlimited amount of appeals, the cost becomes unbelievable. The city of Santa Cruse sued Sam Zell, the creator of these aggressive business tactics. The City sued him 15 times all with appeals, the city spent millions and the appeals went on, the City of Santee has spent over 9 million so far suing him and all that has been accomplished is that he looses, opens another appeal and raises his homeowner’s rents again. Now can you explain to me how a group, with an average income of less than 29 thousand a year, who are currently are being financially victimized, can a-mast millions of dollars to go after a company like this?
Sam Zell is not the only player in this game, in the industry there is a group called the “dirty dozen” they all play the same way, as a matter of fact; they collude together and sell seminars. Everything I have told you today and believe me much, much more has been testified to in court, it has been released nation wide by me and others. These are strong statements, a good business would try and sue me for slander, but they can’t because everything is true and factual. And they also know that if they sue me, I would be able to experience what is known in the legal realm as “Discovery” and believe me these people do not want that.
I appreciate the comments made by Miss Hedda, mistaken they might be however, her tone and tenor is accurate. These companies are put together to cannibalize on the weakest among us. Our Parents, Our Grand parents, our aged, our weak. Do you know what it is like to have an 85 year old widow weep on your shoulder because next week she is going to kicked out of her home, that she bought and paid for over 25 years ago, and has been paying taxes on all these years? I DO. I do get frustrated with ignorance, and there are many pundits who have hold of a bully pulpit and NO information, however they insist that they know what is right. Sir, I say respectfully you are wrong and I challenge to really educate yourself on this subject.
You and all of your readers are welcome to my web-site and blog at www.neighborhoodfriends.us
Respectfully,
Glenn Bell
Neighborhood Friends
Mayor Sam- I am truly surprised at what a cold-hearted arrogant idiot you are. I hope you never find yourself in a situation that the people of Blue Star Mobile Home Park and all Parks in California are finding themselves in.
And.... I hope you never have to be a senior citizen living on a fixed income. You'll get a BIG reality check then, pal.kepuflw
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home