Renting in Oakland Archives

Old apartment building in mediocre condition.

Tenants protest no heat, leaks, cockroaches at apartments owned by KP Market grocer

by Natalie Orenstein Nov. 29, 2023, 3:00 p.m.Nov. 29, 2023, 3:09 p.m.

The Uptown renters and landlord will hash it out at a hearing Monday with the city, which has found habitability violations at the property.

Two glassy, new apartment towers at the end of a block of old buildings.

Housing & Homelessness

Who lives in downtown Oakland’s shiny new apartment towers?

by Natalie Orenstein Nov. 21, 2023, 10:18 a.m.Nov. 28, 2023, 2:08 p.m.

Oakland’s gone through a building boom. How many people are living in this new housing, and what’s life like downtown?

Three small apartment buildings of different sizes and styles on a city street.

Housing & Homelessness

There are 2,600 illegal Airbnbs in Oakland. The city could rein them in

by Natalie Orenstein Oct. 10, 2023, 9:00 a.m.Oct. 6, 2023, 2:49 p.m.

The city is working on regulations for short-term rentals, years in the making.

Middle aged man standing in the middle of a large living room with colorful art all over the walls.

Housing & Homelessness

Oakland Cannery artists are getting squeezed out by the cannabis industry

by Natalie Orenstein Sept. 21, 2023, 4:41 p.m.Sept. 22, 2023, 12:51 p.m.

Residents of one of Oakland’s oldest live-work warehouses are facing an Ellis Act eviction.

Four women hed up the stairs in a modern townhouse.

Housing & Homelessness

Landlord says city is responsible for flood that displaced hundreds of East Oakland tenants

by Natalie Orenstein Aug. 17, 2023, 3:00 p.m.Aug. 17, 2023, 2:43 p.m.

Developer Michael Johnson filed a claim for financial damages, while tenants gathered this week to reflect on eight months of loss, uncertainty, and stress.

Several senior citizens sitting in a room with an amplifier. They're all paying attention to something at the front of the room.

Housing & Homelessness

Bedbugs, break-ins plague Uptown senior housing, tenants say

by Natalie Orenstein Aug. 11, 2023, 2:47 p.m.Aug. 11, 2023, 2:47 p.m.

Residents and organizers are pushing the city to launch a rental inspection program to catch habitability issues.

A dark, empty courtroom, with blue seats facing the judge's bench. A large screen stands to the side, and U.S. and California flags in the front.

Housing & Homelessness

At Alameda County eviction court, one judge tries to swim through a tsunami

by Natalie Orenstein Aug. 8, 2023, 12:00 p.m.Aug. 9, 2023, 1:09 p.m.

With pandemic eviction moratoriums over, cases have shot up and the court is overwhelmed. Meet the sole judge handling the influx.

A group of about 15 people, both adults and kids, march in the street with protest signs and a megaphone.

Housing & Homelessness

Flooded East Oakland apartment building has cost city $5.7 million

by Natalie Orenstein July 19, 2023, 1:28 p.m.Aug. 1, 2023, 1:43 p.m.

Residents of Coliseum Connections have been uprooted for seven months. They recently protested outside their landlord’s home.

A hand holds a copy of the pocket-sized Affordable Housing Guide. A bunch of copies are scattered across the table behind it.

How We Work

Why we created an affordable housing guide for Oakland and Berkeley

by Natalie Orenstein and Supriya Yelimeli June 22, 2023, 2:28 p.m.June 22, 2023, 3:06 p.m.

We often hear from residents eager to find an inexpensive, safe place to live in the East Bay. We published a resource guide to help.

Housing & Homelessness

Small landlords could get new help in Oakland rent disputes

by Natalie Orenstein June 14, 2023, 12:30 p.m.June 14, 2023, 12:56 p.m.

The East Bay Rental Housing Association would support property owners in Rent Adjustment Program hearings under a new proposal.

Several apartment buildings of different styles on a hill, against a bright blue sky.

Housing & Homelessness

Under a new Oakland law, there could be fewer ‘trivial’ evictions

by Natalie Orenstein June 7, 2023, 2:00 p.m.June 7, 2023, 1:24 p.m.

Landlords trying to evict over a lease violation will have to prove that it caused them “substantial actual injury.”

Close up of three side-by-side houses. They're modest Victorians that are a bit rundown.

Housing & Homelessness

Evictions cases are rising fast after end of Alameda County moratorium

by Natalie Orenstein May 24, 2023, 10:13 a.m.May 24, 2023, 10:18 a.m.

Oakland’s moratorium is still in place but ends in July. Berkeley’s expires Aug. 31.

Several people seated in the city council meeting room hold up signs in support of renters or landlords.

Housing & Homelessness

Oakland’s eviction moratorium will end July 15

by Natalie Orenstein April 19, 2023, 1:17 p.m.April 19, 2023, 1:29 p.m.

At a City Council meeting that lasted until midnight, officials voted to sunset the pandemic policy while adopting new tenant protections.

Housing & Homelessness

When to end Oakland’s eviction moratorium? Council will decide Tuesday

by Natalie Orenstein April 17, 2023, 12:56 p.m.April 17, 2023, 12:56 p.m.

Officials will also decide whether to increase the support for displaced Coliseum Connections tenants to $4 million.

Close up at an angle of a modern building. There is wood over three of the windows. A dark street sign is in the foreground.

Housing & Homelessness

Broken glass ‘showering’ sidewalks from a downtown Oakland highrise

by Natalie Orenstein April 4, 2023, 12:46 p.m.April 4, 2023, 12:46 p.m.

Tenants say shards of glass have repeatedly fallen on their balconies and the sidewalks of 17th Street and Broadway.

Housing & Homelessness

Landlords rally and disrupt Oakland City Council meeting, demanding end to eviction moratorium

by Natalie Orenstein March 22, 2023, 4:39 p.m.March 22, 2023, 5:01 p.m.

Oakland has yet to set an expiration date for the pandemic policy.

A woman speaks through a megaphone as people gather behind her under umbrellas. They're holding banners that say "eviction moratorium is robbery."

Housing & Homelessness

Alameda County’s eviction moratorium will expire at the end of April

by Natalie Orenstein March 1, 2023, 4:51 p.m.March 2, 2023, 5:01 p.m.

Oakland’s ban on evictions will remain for now but passions were high Tuesday as county officials rejected tenant protection policies amid a landlord protest.

Close up on old-fashioned entryway to building, with the address 1515 Webster

Housing & Homelessness

Don’t sue, don’t talk: Renters asked to ‘sign away rights’ for compensation

by Natalie Orenstein Feb. 16, 2023, 3:20 p.m.Feb. 16, 2023, 3:20 p.m.

Tenants in a downtown Oakland “co-living” building were asked to agree to some unusual terms in order to receive a rent reduction after a hot water outage.