Disabled tenants are suing the city of Oakland, California over rent control laws and the cost of accessible homes for persons with disabilities, claiming they are being priced out of modern homes.
It’s no secret people living In the Bay Area have some of the highest rents nationwide and Oakland is following state law which lays out which properties are controlled by rent control. The problem is that new housing that is accessible for persons with disabilities is not covered by the city’s rent control program.
But Ian Smith and two other renters filed the class action lawsuit , saying they can’t find safe housing and are being priced out.
“This is an issue that impacts a lot of us,” 32-year-old Smith told KPIX 5.
They’re suing Oakland on behalf of up to 16,000 others with disabilities, demanding changes to the system, even if it goes against state law that puts limits on rent control ordinances.
