Today's Random News

[YellerDog]

I'm not arguing with you.

[Satsuki]

The reason the problem exists is that rent is so high in the area that people will take anything they can get. Getting a space compatable with making big art is otherwise impossible, so the broke kids make do due and pile up.

A music venue is whatever space will hold x amount of people, nevermind that the stairways are made of goddamn shipping pallets. Hell, I've played at extremely similar places.

On the plus side, a friend of my roommate's who was missing turned up! I think she was doing a trimming job up north.

What a relief!!! That's so nice to hear some good news out of the whole tragedy.

I think overall, there will never be a complete halt of spaces like this - nor should there be. It was born out of a desire to create, and creativity doesn't always "obey the code." Some of the coolest spots I've ever been to were old buildings making the best of what they have. However, when there is a desire to create, there is always people taking advantage of others, landlords who prey on the inexperienced and fearful, etc etc. this, in my mind, is 50/50 on the leaser and landowner - both had knowledge that there were wiring issues, plumbing issues, etc etc, and chose to ignore it. The predatory landowning here in NorCal is heinous - every person who has ever lived in any sort of downtown has a story about a landowner or manager who jacked up the rent and refused to do anything but the bare minimum. They parade old, dilapidated buildings and houses as 24k gold gems, and threaten to take any tenant to court or evict who even point out any structural issues, because it *must* be the tenants fault that the floor/window/roof is caving in. It's a sick money grab, and I doubt anything will come of this fire, but god I wish it would press on landlords more.

[YellerDog]

The underground artist warehouse space where we go for Passover dinner every year is currently being harassed by the press. A bunch of my old band members live there, everybody is on edge.

It does not help that the warehouse is nicknamed "Deathtrap", granted. (Someone once crashed a car through the rolling door out front in the middle of the night, hence the nickname)

[YellerDog]

Annnnnd it's owned by the same lady who owns Ghostship (where the fire happened), and everybody woke up to eviction notices. Great.

[Josh]

Everyone, including some friends, got kicked out of a similar place in Baltimore yesterday.

[Josh]

This doesn't bode well for the band practice spots.

[Calliander]

There are a bunch of them in New Haven. I'll have to see what's up with them.

[Satsuki]

Everyone, including some friends, got kicked out of a similar place in Baltimore yesterday.

I heard about that. That's the vicious cycle of things like this - you tell your landlord you have an issue, and they evict you. An issue with someone else's house, and the authorities get trigger happy and evict you. My heart goes out to everyone who is basically homeless right now because of this. Maybe it will be better in the long run, but I doubt it. A bunch of people will lose their homes and within a year the cycle will begin anew.

[GohanX]

It sucks, but it may be for the best.

[Satsuki]

It would be if they would implement the code violations long term, but within a few months it will be forgotten again. The bay area is just a mess, housing/rental/leasing-wise, it would be impossible to enforce every property violation that exists there. I would love to see stricter penalties on shit slumlords. I want to be idealistic, I hope they can crack down on the worse offenders, but I think it sadly just leaves a lot of people without a place to live and work.