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phynckeSo a few days ago, my neighbor emails me with the subject line, one word "Weird" and details about how she met some guy who is living in our garage and parking his van in our driveway. An older man. He has the garage set up to live in with couch and clothes etc. A few of us email back and forth in WTF fashion and this is yet another example of our greedy landlord trying to get more money out of the house by adding "an apartment" as the garage. I tried to catch a glimpse of the person myself but did not see him all weekend.
I get a text as I am leaving work "He is sitting in the driveway, chainsmoking cigarettes". So I knew, on my way home that I could take the back street and walk right by that drive way and "run into him". My plan was to snoop, introduce myself and get a look into that garage and see what the heck is going on there. If in fact it is set up as a living space or just storage and figure out the deal.
I near the place, my home, and end my cell phone convo and saunter into the driveway. The conversation starts in edgy manner. I was a little too aggressive but I suddenly realize the guy will tell me nothing if I don't get him to relax. I get more casual and friendly. Try and lull him to make more conversation. I physically move the conversation into the doorway of the garage so I can clearly see the place. He has a couch (fold out) in there, clothes, a fridge, a computer set up on a table, a rug on the floor. He had just done a load of laundry in our machines and his socks were all over the couch.
He denied living there and said that he has a place in SF (impossible to verify). But as we conversed, he almost admitted it was a live work space. My question is - there is no running water in there. Where is he going to the bathroom? No bathroom in there! I am afraid of the answers to my questions!
Earlier in the day, I spent a solid hour, once I got info from the rental board, researching all the contacts for the Code Enforcement Office at the City of Berkeley. Clearly this is an attempt by our landlord to create a habitable dwelling where there really is none. I am going to nail him for this...to the wall. He has no idea. I made friendly with the person. But honestly - Mr. Chainsmoking Weirdo Dude is gonna be gone.
Long gone. I will keep you all posted on here. For sure.
I get a text as I am leaving work "He is sitting in the driveway, chainsmoking cigarettes". So I knew, on my way home that I could take the back street and walk right by that drive way and "run into him". My plan was to snoop, introduce myself and get a look into that garage and see what the heck is going on there. If in fact it is set up as a living space or just storage and figure out the deal.
I near the place, my home, and end my cell phone convo and saunter into the driveway. The conversation starts in edgy manner. I was a little too aggressive but I suddenly realize the guy will tell me nothing if I don't get him to relax. I get more casual and friendly. Try and lull him to make more conversation. I physically move the conversation into the doorway of the garage so I can clearly see the place. He has a couch (fold out) in there, clothes, a fridge, a computer set up on a table, a rug on the floor. He had just done a load of laundry in our machines and his socks were all over the couch.
He denied living there and said that he has a place in SF (impossible to verify). But as we conversed, he almost admitted it was a live work space. My question is - there is no running water in there. Where is he going to the bathroom? No bathroom in there! I am afraid of the answers to my questions!
Earlier in the day, I spent a solid hour, once I got info from the rental board, researching all the contacts for the Code Enforcement Office at the City of Berkeley. Clearly this is an attempt by our landlord to create a habitable dwelling where there really is none. I am going to nail him for this...to the wall. He has no idea. I made friendly with the person. But honestly - Mr. Chainsmoking Weirdo Dude is gonna be gone.
Long gone. I will keep you all posted on here. For sure.
