Rents and Floor Plans

Last updated September 13, 2003

The Redevelopment Agency and Rincon management have made it clear (since changing the rules on us in 2001) that it is up to each BMR tenant to verify that their own rent is actually "below market"--that it is less than neighboring market-level apartments that are similar in size and view.

There are a couple of sources for rent information that you should track on your own. This could save you a lot of money. This is a "Below Market Rate" program, and you should do everything you can to track market rates. Here are the two main sources at your disposal:

1. MANAGEMENT'S AMENITIES CHART. You should routinely ask the leasing office what they consider the market rate to be for your apartment. Under the program rules, they must tell you this so you know that your rent is below market. Usually management will turn to their so-called "amenities chart" of rents. This supposedly shows the market rate for every apartment at Rincon including the BMR units. They change this chart frequently, but we now have one from last May below. The numbers on this chart are not actual rents, and we are disputing its use for setting BMR rents. (Our position is that BMR rents must be below what our market-rate neighbors in comparable apartments are actually paying, not numbers management puts on a chart.) However the numbers do provide some useful information. Obviously if your rent is higher than this amount, you have a problem that needs correcting.

2. ADVERTISED RENTS. Rincon management used to advertise rates online but recently replaced the amounts with the word "call." Obviously they do not want us to see what they are advertising. We have the rates they were advertising online this summer at the bottom of this page. Your BMR rent should be below what they were advertising when you signed your lease.

When using either source, you need to know the apartment code for your floor plan. We have most of the floor plans and their codes below. Don't forget that you are only required to re-certify for the BMR program once every two years, but you can re-certify at the one-year point if you wish to. People usually do this if their income has dropped. You should also make sure your BMR rent is still below market rates as well.

THE "AMENITIES CHART"

The chart from May 2003 provides the base amount (column 5) and then the "market" rent including "amenities" such as city view, terrace size (balconies don't count), and floor level. You need to know the letter code (column 2) for your apartment to use this chart. Most floorplans are provided below with their codes.

Here is what the various "amenities" add:
CV (City View) Floors 10-17: $50
CV (City View) Floors 18-22: $75
NB (North Bay View) Floors 7-9: $150
NB (North Bay View) Floors 10-17: $200
NB (North Bay View) Floors 18-22: $250
BB (Bay Bridge View) Floors 7-9: $300
BB (Bay Bridge View) Floors 10-17: $350
BB (Bay Bridge View) Floors 18-22: $400
Floor 23: $150
Small Terrace: $50
Medium Terrace: $75
Large Terrace: $200

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
TYPE PLAN SQ FT # OF UNITS BASE AMOUNT CV FLRS 10-17 CV FLRS 18-22 CV FLR 23 NB FLRS 7-9 NB FLRS 10-17 NB FLRS 18-22 NB FLR 23 BB FLRS 7-9 BB FLRS 10-17 BB FLRS 18-22 BB FLR 23 PRIOR RENT % CHANGE
Stu L 300 4 $1015 n/a $1090 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a $1415 n/a $1015 0%
Stu C1 403 16 $1040 n/a $1115 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a $1440 n/a $1040 0%
Stu E 451 20 $1145 $1195 n/a n/a $1295 $1345 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a $1145 0%
Stu H 522 20 $1285 $1335 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a $1585 $1635 n/a n/a $1285 0%
Stu C 527 40 $1285 $1335 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a $1585 $1635 n/a n/a $1285 0%
Stu O 700 1 $1315 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a $1865 $1315 0%
1/1 K 502 16 $1265 n/a $1340 n/a n/a n/a $1515 n/a n/a n/a $1665 n/a $1240 2%
1/1 M 529 4 $1265 n/a $1340 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a $1665 n/a $1240 2%
1/1 G 539 20 $1265 $1315 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a $1565 $1615 n/a n/a $1240 2%
1/1 A 620 52 $1525 $1575 $1600 $1675 $1675 $1725 $1775 $1925 n/a n/a n/a n/a $1500 2%
1/1 B 652 60 $1525 $1575 $1600 $1675 n/a n/a n/a n/a $1825 $1875 $1925 $2075 $1500 2%
1/1 J 655 10 $1525 n/a $1600 n/a n/a n/a $1775 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a $1500 2%
1/1 P 700 3 $1802 n/a $1877 $1952 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a $2202 $2352 $1777 1%
1/1 J1 900 2 $2153 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a $2553 n/a n/a n/a $2703 $2128 1%
1/2 A1 1176 2 $2593 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a $2843 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a $2568 1%
2/1 F 886 20 $2050 $2100 n/a n/a $2200 $2250 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a $2050 0%
2/2 D 799 20 $1985 $2035 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a $2285 $2335 n/a n/a $1985 0%
2/2 A1 1176 10 $2435 n/a $2510 $2585 n/a n/a $2685 $2835 n/a n/a n/a n/a $2435 0%
320 $485,463+ 1%

The above chart was updated by management May 14, 2003. Click on the floor plans below to bring up a larger version.

[Plan A]A [Plan A1]A1 [Plan B]B [Plan C]C [Plan C1]C1 [Plan D]D [Plan E]E [Plan F]F [Plan G]G [Plan H]H [Plan J]J [Plan K]K

ADVERTISED RENTS

These provide a valid indicator of market-level rents. Here is what management was advertising online in the summer of 2003.

Beds Baths Start Rent Sq. Ft. Floor Plan
Studio 1.0 $1095/mo. 403 Plan C1, Bay Bridge/Ferry Tower View
Studio 1.0 $1200/mo. 451 Plan E, Ferry Tower/North Bay View
Studio 1.0 $1320/mo. 522 Plan H, Bay Bridge/South of Market View
Studio 1.0 $1320/mo. 527 Plan C, Bay Bridge/South of Market View
1 1.0 $1330/mo. 502 Plan K, Floors 18-21
1 1.0 $1330/mo. 539 Plan G, Floors 7-17
1 1.0 $1590/mo. 620 Plan A, Ferry Tower/North Bay/Courtyard View
1 1.0 $1590/mo. 652 Plan B, Bay Bridge/South of Market View
1 1.0 $1590/mo. 655 Plan J, Floors 18-22
2 1.0 $2350/mo. 886 Plan F, Floors 7-17
2 2.0 $2170/mo. 799 Plan D, Bay Bridge View
2 2.0 $2630/mo. 1176 Plan A1, Ferry Tower/North Bay/Courtyard View

© Copyright 2003 Rincon Center Tenants Association