Rent Control? (Phoenix, Scottsdale: apartment, to rent, insurance)

[westcoastbabe]

Unfortunately with the way the job market is, a trade or even a masters degree for that matter is not a "sure thing" for a well paying job... I know plenty of people with masters degrees who are currently unemployed that have not been able to land a great paying job....Trust me I know, I was one of them.

[westcoastbabe]

Originally Posted by SageCats

No, not really. The Phoenix area is nowhere near a hot spot like SF, NYC, or the other cities you referenced.

A lot of new condos are going up and people who make low wages believe they deserve to live there despite not making enough. It's that false sense of entitlement. "X lives in a swanky condo in Old Town Scottsdale. Rent control and affordable housing need to be put in place so that my job at Target allows me to live in one of those condos, too."
BS

Nothing wrong with working at Target or having a blue collar job for that fact. If you work in blue collar industry and make a decent salary to afford one of those "swanky condos", by all means go for it. Its not about a sense of entitlement, its about working hard for what you want. But yes, you have to earn it.

[SageCats]

Originally Posted by westcoastbabe

Unfortunately with the way the job market is, a trade or even a masters degree for that matter is not a "sure thing" for a well paying job... I know plenty of people with masters degrees who are currently unemployed that have not been able to land a great paying job....Trust me I know, I was one of them.

I know that a college or graduate degree is not a meal ticket, so to speak. Those days are long gone. Student debt for most degrees is ridiculous.
By trade school, I meant learning a vocation. Becoming an electrician takes a while but it is much less expensive than going to college. Apprentices make a small salary to start but then they can earn a good living when they finish their program or get promoted. HVAC programs are shorter and apprentices can also get paid while they learn. These two vocations are in very high demand all over the country. Even working in construction as a carpenter pays a decent wage. Now, more than ever with the housing boom in the Phoenix area, one could easily find a job in these areas.

[SageCats]

Originally Posted by westcoastbabe

Nothing wrong with working at Target or having a blue collar job for that fact. If you work in blue collar industry and make a decent salary to afford one of those "swanky condos", by all means go for it. Its not about a sense of entitlement, its about working hard for what you want. But yes, you have to earn it.

I didn't say anything about blue collar jobs in my post. It doesn't matter what profession or vocation you choose, you should be allowed to buy whatever comes into your budget. However, if you make a low wage regardless of the job you work (white or blue collar), provisions and handouts shouldn't be made at taxpayer expense (or anyone's expense) for people to live in a neighborhood or home they simply can't afford.

[westcoastbabe]

Originally Posted by SageCats

I didn't say anything about blue collar jobs in my post. It doesn't matter what profession or vocation you choose, you should be allowed to buy whatever comes into your budget. However, if you make a low wage regardless of the job you work (white or blue collar), provisions and handouts shouldn't be made at taxpayer expense (or anyone's expense) for people to live in a neighborhood or home they simply can't afford.

Agreed about the handouts, but there's a serious problem nationwide with affordable housing for the middle class. As a "SINK", there needs to be more options for affordable housing. Its a serious crisis facing today's nation.

[yukon]

Does the PHX metro not have tax credit properties? We have tons here, someone making $10-$12 would qualify for reduced rent (NOT section 8, not subsidized) and many of the complexes are new and in nice areas. Surely PHX has some of these properties as well?

[johnp292]

Originally Posted by fluffythewondercat

I'm not sure I understand this rant.

The security deposit exists to, if needed, compensate a landlord for damage to the unit caused by the renter. LLs in Arizona have to justify any deductions they make from the security deposit. People who believe that LLs "usually manufacture some excuse to keep deposits" are glossing over the real damage tenants cause that must be repaired before the unit can be re-rented.

Throughout my lifetime, I have been both a renter and a homeowner at various times, and my experience as a renter taught me that very few landlords handle security deposits properly, especially individual landlords renting single family homes. They tend to act like security deposits are their money from the day they receive it and have no intention of returning it unless forced to. This is not specific to Arizona, although the laws and the courts here are very slanted in the landlords' favor. These landlords absolutely do manufacture excuses to keep the money, or outright ignore the law in the hope that the tenants don't know their rights.

[fluffythewondercat]

Originally Posted by westcoastbabe

Agreed about the handouts, but there's a serious problem nationwide with affordable housing for the middle class. As a "SINK", there needs to be more options for affordable housing. Its a serious crisis facing today's nation.

You keep saying "affordable housing."

What does that even mean?

[fluffythewondercat]

Originally Posted by johnp292

Throughout my lifetime, I have been both a renter and a homeowner at various times, and my experience as a renter taught me that very few landlords handle security deposits properly, especially individual landlords renting single family homes. They tend to act like security deposits are their money from the day they receive it and have no intention of returning it unless forced to. This is not specific to Arizona, although the laws and the courts here are very slanted in the landlords' favor. These landlords absolutely do manufacture excuses to keep the money, or outright ignore the law in the hope that the tenants don't know their rights.

I've been a renter, am currently a homeowner and thankfully no longer a landlord.

Are there bad landlords? Sure. Some operate in what seems like either total defiance or ignorance of the law. The solution to that is to know the law yourself and know your rights. As I said before, there are remedies for tenants and help available.

Yes, landlords want to hold onto your money until you leave. It's security against damages. That's why you can't use your security deposit for the last month's rent, lest you do a midnight move-out and leave behind a trash-strewn unit with something like fist-sized holes in the walls.

[pgc323]

What in the world would we have to do to get some sort of rent control around here?

Elect Democratic Socialist Bernie Sanders for President.