Berkeley rent control ... or lack thereof

When we lost our home nearly a year ago, this was basically what was behind it: we lived in a golden duplex, which exempted us from rent control and gave us absolutely no rights.

It was heartbreaking beyond heartbreaking. We lived at 2214 1/2 Grant Street, Berkeley, CA 94703 for 13 years. I still wake up thinking I'm there and we've been in our current place since October.

I don't like my neighborhood. It's too little for too much money. Our place is fine, but it just happens to be situated on a charmless street with a lot of loudmouths and bumping music. We will move eventually, but this time -- because we have rent control -- we will do it on our time frame.

Never again will I live in a golden duplex. Nor will I rent from an individual landlord. Never.