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> Renters pay most of the cost of home ownership, with the added feature of being unable to [...] meaningfully become part of a community. Why can’t we become

> Renters pay most of the cost of home ownership, with the added feature of being unable to [...] meaningfully become part of a community. Why can’t we become part of the community? I’ve been a renter for a decade now and I think I am more involved in my community via volunteering and local politics than the average person. Further when I was a kid my single mom rented an apartment — during that time she worked to create a community at our apartment complex. When we moved there barely any one said “hi.” Now, almost a quarter century later she still keeps in touch with many of these old neighbors despite them being scattered all over the U.S. Renting sucks, we both agree with that. But the trope about renters not caring about the community needs to go — it’s part of the reason apartments are illegal in the majority of California.

hiram112 7y ago
Someone like me is probably more common. You're the exception. I've chased jobs for the last 15 years, moving to numerous states, several foreign countries, and for the last 8-9 years, about half a dozen different rental in the same metro area. I have never been involved in my community, met neighbors, or gotten involved in really anything more than a cordial greetings to people I recognize. I'd love to buy a house, but even the smallest condo in a decent area is $300k and as a contractor, I still have to often change work locations every year or more often. My commute might increase by an hour or more, each way, if I were unable to move close the work site. I feel this is common for a lot of people these days, especially as marriage and especially children become less common. I have no incentive to be stuck in one place, and have done well to save a lot of money by being mobile and living frugally, without the trappings of typical suburban life.
- icebraining 7y ago
  "Fewer Americans are moving for work than ever" https://www.cbsnews.com/news/moving-for-work-getting-increasingly-rare/ https://www.cbsnews.com/news/moving-for-work-getting-increas...
inflatableDodo 7y ago
>Why can’t we become part of the community? I’ve been a renter for a decade now and I think I am more involved in my community via volunteering and local politics than the average person. If the person who owns your house decided to sell it tomorrow, how much protection do you have? Here in the UK, I have effectively none.
- apexalpha 7y ago
  I cant speak for the person yoh replied to but in NL it's almost impossible to evict someone.
  - inflatableDodo 7y ago
    Interesting. Over here, if the owner decides to sell, it is almost impossible to not be evicted.
    - sgc 7y ago
      In general there are renters rights and the lease contract survives a sale. When you buy a property you need to look at contracts in place and whether they are incompatible with your desired use.
      - inflatableDodo 7y ago
        As far as I am aware, if you are in an assured shorthold tenancy, as the majority of rented homes are in the UK, your new landlord can serve a court order under section 21 for a no-fault eviction. On the other hand, if you are renting commercial property for a business and have negotiated a lease, then the lease contract holds.
        sgc 7y ago
        In this context I was explaining the US system for many or most States. In California for example, a residential lease by statute survives a sale.
Spooky23 7y ago
Most places in the US have minimal tenant rights. Leases are often 1 year and because of rental price floors geographic rents tend to not vary much. Geography determines school placements, what little league your kid plays in, who your local representatives are, etc. I don’t mean to cast tenants in a bad light. It’s just hard to have deep roots if you have to move frequently. The places that are exceptions have rent stabilization or weak markets. Rental markets always devolve into little geographical cartels where tenants have no leverage. But we live in an era where we pretend it’s a real market and dislike regulatory frameworks.

hiram112 7y ago

Someone like me is probably more common. You're the exception. I've chased jobs for the last 15 years, moving to numerous states, several foreign countries, and for the last 8-9 years, about half a dozen different rental in the same metro area. I have never been involved in my community, met neighbors, or gotten involved in really anything more than a cordial greetings to people I recognize. I'd love to buy a house, but even the smallest condo in a decent area is $300k and as a contractor, I still have to often change work locations every year or more often. My commute might increase by an hour or more, each way, if I were unable to move close the work site. I feel this is common for a lot of people these days, especially as marriage and especially children become less common. I have no incentive to be stuck in one place, and have done well to save a lot of money by being mobile and living frugally, without the trappings of typical suburban life.

icebraining 7y ago
"Fewer Americans are moving for work than ever" https://www.cbsnews.com/news/moving-for-work-getting-increasingly-rare/ https://www.cbsnews.com/news/moving-for-work-getting-increas...

inflatableDodo 7y ago

>Why can’t we become part of the community? I’ve been a renter for a decade now and I think I am more involved in my community via volunteering and local politics than the average person. If the person who owns your house decided to sell it tomorrow, how much protection do you have? Here in the UK, I have effectively none.

apexalpha 7y ago
I cant speak for the person yoh replied to but in NL it's almost impossible to evict someone.
- inflatableDodo 7y ago
  Interesting. Over here, if the owner decides to sell, it is almost impossible to not be evicted.
  - sgc 7y ago
    In general there are renters rights and the lease contract survives a sale. When you buy a property you need to look at contracts in place and whether they are incompatible with your desired use.
    - inflatableDodo 7y ago
      As far as I am aware, if you are in an assured shorthold tenancy, as the majority of rented homes are in the UK, your new landlord can serve a court order under section 21 for a no-fault eviction. On the other hand, if you are renting commercial property for a business and have negotiated a lease, then the lease contract holds.
      - sgc 7y ago
        In this context I was explaining the US system for many or most States. In California for example, a residential lease by statute survives a sale.

Spooky23 7y ago

Most places in the US have minimal tenant rights. Leases are often 1 year and because of rental price floors geographic rents tend to not vary much. Geography determines school placements, what little league your kid plays in, who your local representatives are, etc. I don’t mean to cast tenants in a bad light. It’s just hard to have deep roots if you have to move frequently. The places that are exceptions have rent stabilization or weak markets. Rental markets always devolve into little geographical cartels where tenants have no leverage. But we live in an era where we pretend it’s a real market and dislike regulatory frameworks.