Don’t forget to vote today! If you’re not sure where your precinct’s voting is held, you can go here.

Thanks to all of you who participate in your civic duty!

So, whomever you are planning on voting for, I just want to say first that I am glad to see the recent wave of political activity and especially that among the younger generation in Pittsburgh and, overall, Pennsylvania. Of course, this has nothing to do with the fact that this is one of the closest Democratic primary elections in years or anything…

Speaking of Democratic primaries… I would like to publicly express my belief that Barack Obama, who is speaking at 9:30 tonight at the Petersen Event’s Center in Oakland, is by far the best candidate for United States President. And, I would like to remind you all to vote - tomorrow!

I just can’t feel comfortable endorsing over 30 years of the same two parties ruling in the United States - I mean, it just feels a little too anti-democratic, if you ask me. Further, after reading Barack’s The Audacity of Hope, I can’t help but feel that even though he may be lacking some experience that others could CLAIM to have, he entirely makes up for it in smarts, logic, and common sense (something we ALL know politicians, especially those TOO caught up in the political system may not quite embrace).

Hopefully, the smear attacks and negative campaigning don’t affect people’s good sense too much and Barack receives the support he so deserves.

For those of you against the man, please read one or both of his books just to hear what he has to say - it’s honestly pretty brilliant. And, those of you for him, please help all of us spread the word! And, if nothing else, at least I was reminded by my friend who told me I said a year ago “You watch out for that Barack Obama…he’s going to be something one of these days soon! Probably the next President” Let’s just see if I was right!

But, no matter what, just VOTE!

Oakland Housing Series Continued…

“Current zoning permits Multi-Unit Residential Moderate Density (RM-3), which makes it difficult to control the spread of substandard rental properties: landlords can legally increase the occupancy of the properties up to the maximum allowed by the Zoning Code” – Meyran Ave study.

Overcrowding in Oakland (Pittsburgh)

A problem in Oakland, the home of the University of Pittsburgh, is the over-crowding of off-campus student housing. The 2000 Census defines overcrowding as 1.01 people per room fit for human habitation and severe overcrowding as 1.51 or more people per room. In renter occupied units in South and Central Oakland, 3.2 % of units are overcrowded and 1.6% are severely overcrowded, contrasting with owner occupied units where 1.6% are overcrowded and none are severely overcrowded.

Strangely, one archaic Pittsburgh law says that no more than three unrelated persons may dwell in the same building. Yet, many landlords circumvent this law by having students sign more than one lease, or only asking three residents to sign the lease. Stacey Papa, Esq, advises that students run away from these dishonest landlords as fast as they can should this happen…and, to be safe, stick to 3 maximum occupants in a rental unit. One Oakland resident who was worried about overcrowding asked Robert (bob) Eckenrode (the notorious Oakland slumlord with the most complaints against him - and ALSO one of the top 5 keywords driving traffic to this site - via Google Analytics), “’[H]ow many people do you have in your apartment?’

Bob Eckenrode replied to this older Oakland resident (occurring to an OPDC study), ‘I don’t know, the check just comes to my house. Oh, I’ll check it out tomorrow to see how many is in my house.’

The Oakland resident said, ‘He didn’t check it out. As long as he’s getting that rent and paying his bills, he’s fine.’”

Lax Building and Health Code Enforcement in Pittsburgh

The residents of Oakland also believe the lack of landlord property supervision results from the lax building and health code enforcement by the city of Pittsburgh. Many believe that landlords do not keep their properties up to code and do not respond to complaints on time due to the lenient code enforcement. The new zoning code, RM-3, allows a mix of housing and rental units in urban areas. It allows for single-unit detached residential, single-unit attached residential, two-unit residential, three-unit residential and multi-unit residential. Full Story »