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Committee Moves SRO Mailbox Law to Board
When SRO hotels were constructed 60-90 years ago, individual mailboxes were not included. As a result, the vast majority of SRO residents having to pick through mail left on stairs, retrieve it through non-secure mail slots, or even pick it out of Cheerio boxes their landlord has left in front of their door.
Fortunately, this sorry state of affairs could soon end. The Land Use Committee of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors yesterday approved legislation sponsored by Supervisor Chris Daly mandating owners to install individual mailboxes in SRO’s. The measure now moves to the full Board, where passage appears certain.“
SRO tenants from Chinatown, the Mission, Tenderloin, and South of Market spoke out at the Board of Supervisors yesterday in strong support for the right of SRO tenants to have legally-secure mail delivery. The unifying theme of the testimony was that everyone deserved the right to receive mail, and that nobody should have to bribe desk clerks or lose government benefits due to the current system where SRO mail is often simply dropped on the ground or otherwise neglected by management.
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http://www.beyondchron.org/news/index.php?itemid=3104#more
SRO tenants from Chinatown, the Mission, Tenderloin, and South of Market spoke out at the Board of Supervisors yesterday in strong support for the right of SRO tenants to have legally-secure mail delivery. The unifying theme of the testimony was that everyone deserved the right to receive mail, and that nobody should have to bribe desk clerks or lose government benefits due to the current system where SRO mail is often simply dropped on the ground or otherwise neglected by management.
More
http://www.beyondchron.org/news/index.php?itemid=3104#more
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I never had problems receiving mail when I lived at an SRO -- but when I thought I might, I simply received my mail by General Delivery, which is available free to all.
My guess is that this simply will end up passing on the costs of installing individual mailboxes to the tenants, as most people who live in SRO's are typically very transient and in most cases not covered by rent control. Increases in services lead to higher prices -- something like individual mailboxes makes an SRO room more attractive, so the owners of the hotel can and will charge more. That's how business works -- so those that don't want or need this service might lose out. If I had very little money to spare, I would rather pay less for rent and just go to the Post Office to pick up my mail.
Even those covered by rent control might lose out unless landlords are specifically prohibited from charging more for this, as typically even under rent control, landlords are allowed to increase rent to pay for an increase in services. Any measure passed should take this into consideration or it may be counterproductive.
My guess is that this simply will end up passing on the costs of installing individual mailboxes to the tenants, as most people who live in SRO's are typically very transient and in most cases not covered by rent control. Increases in services lead to higher prices -- something like individual mailboxes makes an SRO room more attractive, so the owners of the hotel can and will charge more. That's how business works -- so those that don't want or need this service might lose out. If I had very little money to spare, I would rather pay less for rent and just go to the Post Office to pick up my mail.
Even those covered by rent control might lose out unless landlords are specifically prohibited from charging more for this, as typically even under rent control, landlords are allowed to increase rent to pay for an increase in services. Any measure passed should take this into consideration or it may be counterproductive.
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