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SEQUENCE:18631867
CREATED:20090403T060200Z
DESCRIPTION:On Monday, April 6th at 4pm at the Bay Tree Plaza at UCSC, the students and 
 children at UCSC's Family Student Housing will be having a Kiddie Parade to 
 demand fair and affordable rents at FSH. We invite you to come.\n\nThis 
 action is responding to a proposed rent increase here of 7.5%. This will be 
 an increase of 62% over the last nine years.\n\nThus far, the 
 Administrators have held two meeting where a combined total of two hundred 
 tenants (from a community of 200 rental units) showed up. The 
 administrators assured everyone that having rent go up another 7.5%, after 
 the same rent increase last year, was fair. They also feigned ignorance to 
 a persistent mold problem, that two months earlier they'd put flyers on 
 everyone's door saying tenants must deal with on their own, despite the 
 fact that much of the mold issue exists within the walls. At the meeting, 
 when over ten students stood up and spoke about persistent ailments their 
 kids have suffered with since moving to FSH, they promised to deal with 
 this issue immediately. Tenants have been complaining and children have 
 been suffering with this problem for years, with no remediation beyond 
 being told they are imagining things.\n\nThe Administrators went on to 
 explain that due to the Long Range Development Plan of UCSC, we need to pay 
 much of our rent into future housing costs, some of which would go into 
 doubling the units at family student housing. While there will be future 
 need for that housing, it seems cruel to fundraise off the backs of single 
 parents, undergraduates with kids often living well below the poverty line, 
 and students who are the most vulnerable to dropping out of school under 
 economic duress. This proposed current budget leaves many families, living 
 off grad student wages, $250 to live on a month.\n\nWhile the UCSC 
 Administrators have been willing to meet with us, thus far they are holding 
 onto their current rent structure as "Fair." However, this sentiment seemed 
 aimed at tenants, and did not include any of the myriad administrative 
 excesses the UC system has been known for. It also took in no consideration 
 of our current economic crisis, and the reality that many student's 
 partners have been laid off or been unable to find work in this 
 economy.\n\nIn 1974, soon after Family Student Housing was created, back 
 when it was brand new, rents were (taking into account current day 
 inflation) $573. They have since more than doubled, while the housing has 
 deteriorated dramatically. Issues of mold, termites, vermin, asbestos, 
 lead, and major maintenance issues that go for months before being 
 addressed are rampant at Family Student Housing.\n\nIf you would like to 
 interview some family student housing residents, get sent some of our 
 handouts on budgets and statistics, or receive more information, please 
 contact Katie Howenstine.\n831-480-7070, 206-446-9221, 
 howenstine@riseup.net.\n 
 https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/04/02/18585554.php
SUMMARY:Kiddie Parade for affordable rents at UCSC's FSH
LOCATION:Bay Tree Plaza\nUCSC
URL:https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/04/02/18585554.php
DTSTART:20090406T230000Z
DTEND:20090407T000000Z
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