1 in 3 Eden Area Renters Live in Substandard Housing, Report Claims
A new report released last week by two housing advocacy groups claims nearly one out of every third renter (31%) in unincorporated Alameda County is living in conditions that violate state habitability standards including rodent infestations, broken water heaters, and flooding.
In addition, 40% of Eden Area renters report living with at least one unmet housing repair. Although landlords are required under state law to make repairs within 30 days of notification, many report living with these issues for months.
“In the Shadows of Eden: Rising Rents, Evictions, and Severe Habitability Issues in Alameda County” includes findings from interacting with over 500 residents, using data from a survey of Eden renters and tenant testimony collected through door-to-door canvassing.
“I have not only heard stories, but I have seen the conditions many families are forced to live in, all while they continue to receive large rent increases,” said Vicki Vivaldo, a Cherryland resident, through a translator.
Executives with My Eden Voice and East Bay Housing Organizations (EBHO), which produced the report, hope to shed light on the situation.
“This is all tied to the health of families. Not just from conditions in the home, but also the stress and placed upon them,” said Maria Miranda Dextre, Program Manager and Community Organizer at My Eden Voice. “If we don’t come up with the solution or, you know, actually pass the solution, anytime soon, we’re just going to see things get worse.”
The Eden Area is the name for the urban unincorporated territories of Alameda County, including Ashland, Castro Valley, Cherryland, Fairview, Hayward Acres, and San Lorenzo. The Area is home to nearly 150,000 people, comparable to the city of Berkeley.
A breakdown of each of the towns shows most of the responses came from Ashland (38%) and Cherryland (31%) followed by Hayward Acres (14%), San Lorenzo (8%), Castro Valley (5%), and Fairview (3%). The data shows half of these renters have lived in their location for more than five years, with more than half living in apartments, with children and an annual household income of less than $30,000.
The report also outlines policy recommendations for county officials including enforcing just cause for eviction and rent stabilization policies, a proactive rental inspection program, a rental registry, and increased funding for legal services.
“It’s been encouraging to see more municipalities across the East Bay adopting tenant protections, and it’s time for Alameda County to follow suit,” said Sasha Perigo, Strategic Communications Manager at East Bay Housing Organizations. “Renters in the unincorporated Eden Area deserve equal protections.”
The report can be accessed on the EBHO website (https://ebho.org/launching-the-in-the-shadows-of-eden-report/).