FERAL ROOMMATES

The best way to get to know someone is to live with them.   Living together can be a great experience, a so-so experience, or you could discover that you are living with the roommate from hell.

Here’s a profile of a bad roommate:

·     They pay the rent and/or utilities late (or not at all);
·    Their pets chew the baseboards and moldings and YOU repair them;
·    Their dogs poop and pee on the carpet – regularly;
·    They elect you the resident house cleaner and dishwasher;
·    Your personal property is damaged or stolen by your roommate;
·    They tell you  - the day before - that guests are staying for a week!;
·    Their bedroom could be nominated for “The Hoarder Show.”

Think that I’m over-exaggerating?   I’m not.  Really, I’m not!

Caveat emptor – let the buyer beware!

Before being stuck with the roommate from hell (or somewhere in-between), do your research.

• Ask for landlord references for your roommate and call them!
• Ask for former roommate references and call them!
• Run a background check for evictions, criminal records, judgments, etc.
• Get a friend to “vet” your roommate;
• Develop a Roommate Agreement and specify:
• Who does the cleaning and when?
• How utilities get paid and when?
• Each person’s share of the monthly rent
• Overnight guest policy
• Common areas and areas solely dedicated to (a)specific roommate(s)
• Noise level
• Parties, etc.

Discuss the agreement with your prospective roommate BEFORE you live together.  If you can't work things out now, this is a great indicator that you should NOT be roommates.

BUT, then there is the prospective roommate who will agree to anything and breach all agreements once you live together.  Why?  Perhaps they can’t secure an apartment without your credit record or career standing; and you unwittingly sign a joint lease agreement.  Once you’ve signed a joint lease, you will “be on the hook” for the full rent and utilities and your feral roommate will be riding on your coat-tails.

Once you have vetted your prospective roommate, enter into a formal Roommate Agreement before signing the lease agreement.  See the right side of this Blog for sample Roommate Agreements.

And when you and your new roommate(s) finally do reside together, I hope that your shared living experience is as “heavenly” as possible.

P.S. Feral means “not domesticated” or “suggestive of a wild beast.” 

LIGHTING THE WAY

YOU can report maintenance issues to CalTrans via the link below:

Reporting Problems to CalTrans

And, here's the complaint number for our street lights being out and CalTrans response:

"Thank you for submitting a Maintenance Service Request through the Caltrans Web site. Your request will be addressed by the local Caltrans district, and you will be contacted with the status within ten days. If you want to communicate with us further about this request, please refer to the assigned ticket number.
MSR Ticket Number:	548883
Date Submitted:	2013-02-28 10:19:05
California County:	Alameda
State Highway Route:	24
Nearest Town or City:	Berkeley
Nearest Cross Street:	Caldecott Lane and Tunnel Road
Mode of Transportation:	Walking
Direction of Travel:	Westbound
Time Situation Noticed:	8 pm - 9 pm
Type of Situation:	Other
Nature of Situation:	Street lights operated by CalTrans have been out for two weeks. I noticed, last night, that the lights are also out along the highway 24 entrance off Caldecott Lane. Oakland Public Works referred the issue to you on 2/25/13.
Geographic Location of Situation:	120 to 150 Caldecott Lane, Oakland, CA 94618

AN ILLUMINATING EXPERIENCE?

On Monday, Feb. 25, 2013, Public Works of Oakland closed the complaint about street lights, Number 414094.

Why, when the street lights are still not working?

Lights out on Caldecott Lane
and Highway 24

Because the street lights on Caldecott Lane stretching from 120 to 158 Caldecott Lane are NOT the jurisdiction of Public Works.

OK, then, whose jurisdiction do they fall in?

Answer: CalTrans

And when will the lights be turned on?

“Give CalTrans a few weeks…”

So, I called CalTrans at the number provided by Public Works, spoke to a human who recorded my message, and then? 

Perhaps we need a soothsayer to learn if (and when) the street lights will be turned on…

KEEPING AN "EYE" ON CRIME

As of February 2013, Oakland has rolled out a new on-line crime report which you can access to determine the types of crimes that occurred in our neighborhood and the dates that they occurred.


See: CrimeWatch

Or for daily email updates, sign up to: SpotCrime

Hmmm. . . I wonder if Illegal Dumping makes either crime register? 

FOR THE LOVE OF ANIMALS

Many tenants on Caldecott Lane have pets.  As pet owners, we have more limited rental options than other tenants.  But we sacrifice for our pets – they are members of our family.

As pet owners – for at least some of us – our love of animals extends to feral cats.  And, there are small colonies of feral cats living on Caldecott Lane.

Animal Control endorses the Trap-Neuter-Release program (TNR) and recommends “Fix our Ferals,” a non-profit organization in Richmond that will neuter or spay feral cats for a nominal charge.  Moreover, the cat will be given a rabies and feline leukemia vaccination, a dose of Revolution for fleas and worms, and can be micro-chipped.

A cat that has been "fixed" will also have one ear "notched" to alert feral cat caretakers and veterinarians that the cat has already "participated" in a TNR program.

An excerpt from Oakland Animal Services (e.g. Animal Control) follows:

“FERAL CATS

Oakland Animal Services supports trap, neuter, return as a means of controlling the feral cat population...For information...please contact the Fix our Feral’s hotline at 510.433.9446.”

To learn more about feral cats, see:  

Oakland Animal Services

Fix our Ferals

EastBay SPCA

National Organization Promoting the TNR program: Alley Cat Allies

Hillary Clinton once said, “It takes a Village” to create change.  We may not be a “village” but we are a community of tenants with Caldecott Lane in common.  Working together, we can endorse and implement the TNR program and – for the love of all animals – extend our community to these cats that may have been born a feral or have become feral through abandonment, eviction, or foreclosure.

If you are interested in implementing the TNR program on Caldecott Lane, please email: tenantsofcaldecottlane@gmail.com

LANDLORD TENANT RELATIONS "STOOP" TO A NEW LOW

BECOME EMPOWERED TO CREATE CHANGE

Have you discovered that there are an insufficient number and/or size of garbage containers provided for your building?

When you look outside your windows, do you see:

• ·         Construction debris?
• ·         Discarded sofas?
• ·         Abandoned vehicles?

Are the street lights frequently dark at night?

Does your utility bill seem exorbitantly high?

If you have recently moved from Caldecott Lane, have you received an accounting of your security deposit deductions?

Are you wondering what “pet rent” really is?

Or what a “garbage collection fee” is?

These and other issues will be covered in this blog.  You'll learn who to call for help and how you can take initiative to solve some issues on your own or with other residents and neighbors. 

Become empowered to create change!