Ruth HarkensoninWhy Can’t You Just Change the Locks?Playing Politics With Public SafetyThis article was originally an email from Neighbors Together Oakland. While it‘s not about housing directly, it discusses another issue…Jul 27, 2023Jul 27, 2023
Ruth HarkensoninWhy Can’t You Just Change the Locks?Focusing on Eviction Data Misses the PointNo one should be evicted for any reason, tenant’s rights activists say.May 25, 20231May 25, 20231
Ruth HarkensoninWhy Can’t You Just Change the Locks?Oakland, CA, is an Abuser I Can’t EscapeIt was supposed to be so simple. I needed extra money. It’s hard to be a single mom with one income in one of the most expensive places in…May 17, 2023May 17, 2023
Ruth HarkensoninWhy Can’t You Just Change the Locks?The Myth of Oakland’s Big Giant Corporate LandlordExtremist tenant’s rights groups have led us to believe that there’s a scary, mythical monster lurking in Oakland: the big, evil, corporate…Apr 27, 20231Apr 27, 20231
Ruth HarkensoninWhy Can’t You Just Change the Locks?In her own words: The impact of the eviction moratorium according to my childI moved in September 2022. A month later I stumbled upon this “drawing” my kid did. It’s a summary of my, well, our story, in her own…Jan 23, 2023Jan 23, 2023
Ruth HarkensoninWhy Can’t You Just Change the Locks?Landlords vs. Tenants?My story started 3 years ago. It’s confusing and winding and I’m still learning the best way to tell it.Jan 5, 2023Jan 5, 2023
Ruth HarkensoninWhy Can’t You Just Change the Locks?Why Eviction Moratoriums Are Bad for TenantsI am pro-tenant. I voted for most, if not all, of the tenant protections enacted in California, Alameda County, and Oakland in the last 12…Dec 13, 20221Dec 13, 20221