Tag: Substandard Housing

  • Law Gives Tenants New Recourse For Moldy Apartments

    By Megan Burks It’s one of the most frequent complaints among California tenants, but until this year there was little they could do about potentially hazardous mold in their units. Now, state law considers mold a condition of substandard housing. That means for the first time, renters can report mold problems to the city, which…

  • Audit Details Little Accountability for Dangerous Housing Conditions

    Sherry Godat reveals a plywood board in her window frame Nov. 20, 2014. Bankim Shah promised to replace the missing window before she moved in. A friend installed the plywood after months passed with no repairs. | Photo Credit: Brian Myers, Media Arts Center San Diego By Megan Burks An audit of San Diego’s Code…

  • Socialist Coalition Rallies For Rent Control in City Heights

    By Brian Myers Activists under the banner of the San Diego Socialist Campaign rallied in ‪‎City Heights‬ Aug. 22 for rent control, more affordable housing options and protection from vermin, mold and other poor housing conditions. Earlier in the week, the San Diego City Council declared a state of emergency due to a lack of…

  • San Diego Mayor Calls for Special Substandard Housing Enforcement Team

    Karina Villanueva shows KPBS and Voice of San Diego a photo of mold above her shower on Nov. 20, 2014. | Photo Credit: Brian Myers, Media Arts Center San Diego By Megan Burks Derelict landlords beware: Mayor Kevin Faulconer’s draft budget is out Monday and it includes money for a team dedicated to rooting out…

  • Landlord Got $500K in Public Subsidies While Maintaining Substandard Conditions

    Brian O’Shea has made his City Heights apartment a home. A large Chargers flag covers its main wall. Framed scriptures remind him of the strength he mustered several years back to kick his drinking habit. Cowboy hats hang on the wall like plaques, commemorating his time as a bull rider at local rodeos. But the apartment…