Price-Fixing Collusion to Raise Rents 😮

It appears Mistress Maddie hit the nail on the head in his response to my questioning why management would continue to raise rent, resulting in more empty units when he commented "Maybe they figure they can turn and burn you. In other words, we won't do any extras, increase the rents so people leave, and have a new people come in, they can ask for absorbent rent" because, according to today’s FBI Raid on Cortland Management over algorithmic price-fixing collusion to raise rents across the country and keep apartments empty is exactly what’s been going on.

My understanding of the way it’s been working is that say there are 10 people interested in renting 10 units. If the price is set to 1,000 a month, all 10 would rent, netting management 10,000 a month. But if the price is set at 3,500 a month, only 3 people can afford to still pay that, and management profits slightly more.

Despite filling only 3/10 units, it's better for greedy management to price units at 3,500 since instead of making 10,000 from 10 people, they make 10,500 from 3.

According to what I’ve been reading about the raid on Cortland, though that particular management company is based in Atlanta and Arizona, the criminal probe of rent increases is going nationwide as the price-fixing is being facilitated through a program called RealPage, a software and consulting firm that allegedly has been orchestrating price-fixing among property management groups nationwide, resulting in high rents, housing shortages, homelessness.

Naturally, I tried to find out if our Corporate Office/Management Team is involved with RealPage, and soon to also be investigated by the FBI.

No way to know for sure until I see the actual list of all management companies being investigated, but I did learn RealPage has offices a hop skip away, in Irvine, California. So, I’m thinking probably yes.

Will be interesting to see how this impacts what's been going on around here with empty units and rent increases.

Five Days In

Five days into June and no signs of an Activity Calendar for the month on our doors.

Is this lack of a calendar because, in truth, there are no activities to post? …… or is the not printing and distributing a new cost-cutting measure? …… or inasmuch as the month of June is when management can raise the rent for us non-Section 8 residents are they otherwise occupied putting together notices of how much more we’ll be paying for enjoying the non-existent activities and amenities they’ve somehow convinced themselves they’re providing?

Time will tell, but one would think that with so many vacancies due to previous rent increases, they’d cease with the increases, strive to keep the residents they have, but noooooo.

So anyway, it is what it is and will be.

The man and woman living with TinTin returned some time ago. So, I guess they were heading out for a weekend away when I saw them leaving with luggage the afternoon of the same day I’d petted the black puppy, and not leaving because I'd scared them off with my interest in the puppy.

I’ve caught a glimpse or two of the puppy since their return — once with the woman, once with the man, but it didn’t look like the same puppy.

Originally, they had a pair of flat-faced/snub nose looking puppies — one all-black the other all-white, which the man said were Argentine Pitbulls.

The white pup sadly passed away from parvo and, catching glimpses of the black pup last week, I was glad to see he survived the virus …… except, from the quick glimpses I got through the patio window, it didn’t look like the same black puppy.

Heading out for this morning’s workout, seeing the man walking the puppy on a leash, I got a good look up close and personal.

While petting the puppy, I asked "Is this the same black one?"

"Yes" said the man, but it was a blatant lie as this pup was black with white trim on the paws and a patch of white above the nose. Also, gone was the little snub nose looking face. This puppy looked like a regular everyday baby doggie.

Why lie, I do not know, except maybe he was hesitant to admit the other male, the pure black one, passed away along with its pure white sister.

At any rate, I hope the couple take care of this one. As for TinTin, it must be crowded in her little one-bedroom, one-bathroom unit, with herself, that couple and a puppy.

I'd go crazy with my space thus invaded.

In other news, I read No. 45’s felony conviction now means he’s banned from Canada and the UK.

I envy you Canadians and Brits.

He’s to be sentenced July 11. He'll probably get a slap on the wrist, if even that, but I don’t think it's too much to hope for 2500 Life Sentences +1000 years and once he passes away that he be charged with attempted escape and an additional 200 years added to the sentence, which he will begin serving in the afterlife once he gets to Hell. Should he be reincarnated after his death, return as another person, that he be arrested at birth, spend his entire next life in the penitentiary.

"I Don't Know Who's Happier, Me or Melania"

Whichever of us is happiest, I'm pretty damn happy the jurors had the good sense and guts to find him guilty, but I'm still scared.

Consequently, I’m holding off on uncorking my bottle of champagne, or taking down my voodoo altar, or stop wearing my Lock Him Up tee until he’s actually in jail, or off the ticket, or not reelected, or recalled by the Infinite Invisible so I can feel safe.

I can’t wait to see what Randy Rainbow does with this guilty verdict.

In other news, John over at Going Gently, a few days ago posted about "looking like a twat" while visiting the Museo National Centro de Arte Sofia after ripping his pant leg on the corner of a door when entering.

I’d responded that inasmuch as people here in California pay good money for ripped pants ……… knees, hips, etc., that his rip was more than likely viewed as a fashion statement.

John then queried, "How about a fat ankle?"

Oh for sure, and these hideous Huckleberry Finn looking jeans that popped up on my feed are a prime example.

I don’t wear jeans, I’m a leggings woman. However, if one is so inclined, they can own these unflattering to the female figure jeans for $65.90.

Watching the Next Baking Master Paris on Food Network, I did see a pair of ripped jeans that I would wear ……… that is if I were to ever wear jeans again.

So cute, and probably cost a small fortune.

Speaking of Next Baking Master Paris, are you watching?

If so, did you make the same connection I made when one of the bakers became ill and had to bow out of a challenge?

That connection being that, while at the shop of the Baking Bastards, learning how to make those very rich buttery and chocolate ganache filled Croffins, she shoved two into her mouth and practically swallowed them whole.

Croffin: Cross between croissant and muffin

Bleach Blonde Bad Built Butch Body

Furthermore ...

Memorial Day

Those are the flags flying on the patio of the No. 45 loving neighbor who lives around the corner. Evidently, she's retired Air Force.

Impressive woman.

Nice woman

Terrible taste in ex-presidents.

No three-day weekend for moi. In fact, it’s only a mere few hours into the day, the week, and I’m exhausted already.

After a peaceful restful weekend with no little knock knock, this morning started off well enough, but things went sideways halfway through this morning’s workout when I began to feel worn out, depleted of energy.

At the end of the session, when I told Trainer I was exhausted, he said, "You pulled 50 pounds".

SAY WHAT NOW?!

Instead of the usual High Cable Standing Row, Trainer repositioned the cable, had me perform a Low Cable Standing Row, which I thought nothing of as I'm adapt at the former. However, turns out pulling down on 50 pounds is a whole lot easier than pulling up on 50 pounds.

I survived ……… barely, and would have liked nothing better than to call it a day, head straight back to the complex for a rest. However, having run out of eggs, kale and a few other essentials, I had to drag my tired self to the market, where I expected a Memorial Day crush.

The creepy security guard that replaced the other creepy security guard back in March was at his station, only he’s no longer a bother as I’ve ignored him often enough for him to realize giving me leering eyes was a waste of his time ……… that this one (me) is not friendly.

He has no game insofar as I can see, but I’ve seen the leering work on two other probably desperate women.

Hope they don't catch an STD from him.

As for the crush, all hands were on deck, so I was in/out faster than on a regular marketing day, except I stopped to chat with a guy about the bird on his shoulder.

Meet Bubbles

Bubbles is not attached to anything, so can easily fly off, escape, which the owner says Bubbles has done a time or two.

"How do you catch him?" asked I.

"I chase and he eventually comes back".

Bubbles is five months old and, when the owner’s daughter went to pet him, the owner said, "Watch this".

The daughter had to quickly snatch her hand back as Bubbles tried to fend her off with a bite, which I attempted to capture, but the action was so fast that I caught the hand pulling back, but you can see by the way Bubbles is mad dogging her that he means business ……… "Do not touch me", LOL.

Speaking of looks, it later occurred to me the security guard was watching my interaction with the bird’s owner, possibly thinking I’m friendly after all and will test that theory when I next walk by his station with diasterous results ……… for him.

On High Alert

Oh No! She’s back.

Sitting on the couch about 1:30 this afternoon, watching the recorded season final episode of my new favorite show Elsbeth, I spotted my little stalker running down the walkway.

Not in the mood for a visit today, I closed the kitchen blinds , closed the patio window to just a crack to let in outside air, partially closed the blinds and am prepared to put the TV on mute, pretend to not be here if I spot her headed this way, or hear her footsteps on the stairs or knock knock knock on the door.

The jeep is still in its parking spot, but what’s not to say I’ve been picked up and taken elsewhere.

I ran into Meat Man as I was crossing the driveway returning from yesterday’s workout, with he on his way out.

He’s all upset because the gate to the driveway has been open for over a month, leaving us open to trespassers and car theft.

It is a bit of a worry, but he’s letting the open gate twist his boxers or briefs in a bunch. Bouncing around in his seat proclaiming "When are they going to fix this?! …… Nobody around here is doing anything!"

"What’s to do?" asked I.

"Call Corporate!"

I didn’t think to ask if he himself had called Corporate or, like Red Light used to do, if he was just trying to round up the troops, urge others to do it as I replied "Corporate doesn’t care about us".

"That woman in the office (Complex Manager) is awful. She doesn’t do anything".

He seemed to say that in a questioning manner, looking as though he wanted me to agree and get into a conversation as to how awful she is, but I said, "She’s been nice to me. Don’t let it (the gate) bother you".

Not able to rile me up, as he appeared to be riled, took the wind out of his sails, so he calmed down, gave me some kind of dire prediction I didn’t make out ………… "bla bla bla, you'll see" and went on his way.

In other news, as I’ve seen no one going in/out to clean, it’s looking like we’ll not be getting a new neighbor in Red Light’s now vacant unit any time soon.

With no waiting list, and those now leasing signs still plastered out front, I imagine there’s no need to hurry the cleanup until other ready to lease vacant units are first filled with occupants.