A South Bay man whose landlord jacked up his monthly rent by nearly 50% took to advertising his home's carport as a sublet.
The tenant admitted he not only put up the carport for rent in a Craigslist ad, but also added a van and a Futon -- on a San Jose property that he rents from someone else.
The man said his landlord forced his hand, increasing the monthly rent on his duplex from $1,700 to $2,500.
The ad boasts of low rent, $400 a month, for a carport with a "station wagon to sleep in." Stipulations: "No smoking and no pets. No bathroom. No visitors."
The city of San Jose says it is a serious violation and potentially very expensive for the property owner.
"There’s no weather proofing. There’s no heat, and there’s no sanitary facilities – no running water," Code Enforcement Manager Oscar Carrillo said. "So these are all inherently dangerous situations."
Also the conditions are not a workable rental solution for a young newlywed couple looking for a place to call home.
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"Letting people live in carports is just not very safe," said Allie Barfoot of San Jose, who got married last December. "It’s discouraging, being a young couple. We could save up our whole entire lives, and that doesn’t mean we’re ever going to be able to settle down here."
For now, the city is letting the carport rental stand, saying it can only open an investigation after someone files a complaint. So far, no one has reported the violations.
The potential fines could be up to $2,500 a day, Carrillo said.
