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Comment by tgrass | Hacker News Reader

I am a father, and I rent. Are my rights less (as proxied by my landlord) than my neighbor who owns an underwater house?

[EDIT] When I go down to the polling station on election day, I assure you my rights are equal.

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edit OK I misunderstood. skip this post :)

Yes, of course. Starting with the obvious, your landlord could just throw you out. Your agreement almost certainly prevents you from making significant changes to the structure of the building. You can't sell the property. Your rights are much, much less than your neighbor.

"As proxied BY my landlord"

I am speaking of my rights in the community, not to the property. That is, should there be a speed bump on the street, should a WalMart be allowed to build on the condemned lot around the corner.

I think it's still true that you have somewhat less rights since you're not (directly) paying the property taxes.

Then you're moving into tautological territory. Those rights are held by your landlord. If he proxies them to you, then you have them, if he doesn't, you don't.

I am thinking of instances where a landlord's interest are aligned with tenants generally. For instance, fighting neighborhoods who use political connections to oppose rental development in central city neighborhoods ("mini dorms").

Discrimination is discrimination. These are public neighborhoods. Protecting one's property value does not make discrimination noble or any less discriminatory.

If you are a voter, you have the same rights by law, and this would apply to the issues you brought up.

If you are not a voter, you do not and should not have the same rights because your social and economic investment in the community is not as great as your landlord's, or your underwater neighbor's.

Indeed. Not to mention a lot of agreements specifically state that the renter is not to sublet their apartment. If the person doesn't like it, just find a landlord willing to allow it.

Plenty of HOAs would consider you less desirable. Which is completely wrong, of course.

(personally I consider the super-serious-HOA-attending-is-my property-value-always-increasing-neurotic undesirable, but that's just my bias.)

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