Say What? Well this is a real interesting issue, and the issues and liabilities it creates for landlords, tenants, neighbors etc. are huge. The city of Oakland California now bans criminal background checks for tenants according to the LA Times.
Hope this “intelligence” stays in California…
Just for the record we DO have a fair housing issue with criminal back ground checks, but that is not new. This takes it into the stratosphere.
So what happens if you rent to a violent criminal or Pedophile and they commit a crime in your house, building or neighborhood? Who is accountable? Bad news may be YOU, the landlord and, the government system that enabled this may be the driving force behind your fault finding. Have you had enough yet?
The Oakland City Council voted unanimously, approving an ordinance (the strictest of its kind in the state, covering both public and private housing.) that would prohibit landlords from asking about a potential tenant’s criminal history or rejecting them out of hand for having a record. And we wonder why California cities are turning into cesspools and, people are leaving that state.
As investors, it is my believe that it is my duty to provide safe and affordable housing to people as well as improve neighborhoods and raise the values of the homes surround mine. I will no be investing in Oakland.