Blackstone raised rents double the market average in San Diego, report says

[Uncle Joe]

1. A little background on Blackstone

Blackstone Inc. is an American alternative investment management company based in New York City. Blackstone's private equity business has been one of the largest investors in leveraged buyouts in the last three decades, while its real estate business has actively acquired commercial real estate across the globe. Blackstone is also active in credit, infrastructure, hedge funds, secondaries, growth equity, and insurance solutions. As of May 2024, Blackstone has more than US$1 trillion in total assets under management, making it the largest alternative investment firm globally.[2]

Blackstone was founded in 1985 as a mergers and acquisitions firm by Peter G. Peterson and Stephen A. Schwarzman, who had previously worked together at Lehman Brothers.

(snip)

United Nations condemnation of the Invitation Homes project and lobbying efforts

In 2019, a United Nations report found that Blackstone's massive purchasing of single-family homes after the 2007–2008 financial crisis had "devastating consequences".[198] The report alleged that Blackstone had abused tenants with exorbitant fees, rent hikes, and aggressive eviction practices, and that Blackstone's real estate practices had a disproportionate impact on communities of color, in part because the company targeted foreclosures resulting from subprime loans.

The report also condemned Blackstone for "using its significant resources and political leverage to undermine domestic laws and policies that would in fact improve access to adequate housing". Blackstone spent at least $6.2 million to defeat California's Proposition 10, which would have allowed cities to enact rent control. Blackstone is a member of the Real Estate Roundtable, a special interest group that spends millions on lobbying and political donations every year.[199]

United Nations housing rapporteur Leilani Farha and UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights chair Surya Deva criticized Blackstone's business practices, including frequent rent increases and "aggressive" evictions, for contributing to the global housing crisis. Blackstone disputed these claims.[200]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackstone_Inc.

Thanks for the thread Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin