Haiku: Rent Control

So we at Broke Ass HQ, like many of you, often spend time shooting the shit and coming up with new ideas to make you laugh, cry, save money and live your life. The haiku, a Japanese form of poetry, is a beautiful and simplistic way to show your affection [try it on your girlfriend sometime when you can't afford dinner] or contempt for something in a succinct and perfect pattern. Three lines, 17 syllables and a whole lot of potential, the haiku is gaining momentum.  Consider it old school twitter (speaking of which, add us here).

What’s the single biggest thing San Francisco has over New York (besides awesome Mexican food)?  Rent control.  Yup it’s true.  In all five boroughs of New York City there are only 50,000 rent controlled units.  If you consider that there are eight million people in NYC, you realize 50,000 units ain’t shit.  The war for Manhattan is over and the douchebags won.  It’s too expensive now, which is why all the artists moved to Brooklyn.  Without rent control, San Francisco would be Manhattan — most of the underground art and culture would be forced to flee.  So for this, we salute you Rent Control and we shed a little tear for our brethren and sistren in NY who will have their rent raised $500 next time they have to resign their leases.

Ode to Rent Control

Period fixtures
in a house with a pre-dot
com price is heaven.

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About the author

Monica Miller - The Intern

Ms. Miller was born in San Diego, CA to one lesbian mother and one righteous, cheap father. Currently, she is enrolled at San Francisco State University for a B.A. in Journalism and the approximate completion date is around 2015. She has worked for many papers in the Bay Area, including the Oakland Tribune and the San Mateo Country Times and is currently the city editor at one of the most underappreciated publications in SF, the Golden Gate [X]press. Though she may find bargains aplenty, it only stems from the necessity of never landing an actual job and working for hacks [like Stuart.] With intelligence, style, poise, bite, and honesty, she will rip your heart out; but not before writing some awesome, poignant shit. This year, she is looking forward to bigger and better things such as: trying to get paid for a gig, actually finding a date that isn't a loser or fucking crazy, not calling her parents when hungover and bringing you the best of the 7x7 everyday of the week. [By the way, I wasn't kidding about the date thing; if you love food, booze and shoegaze, get at me.]

2 Comments

  1. Smarty says:

    There are 1,000,000 rent control units in Manhattan.

  2. There is no fucking way that there’s a million rent controlled apartments in Manhattan.

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