ACTION Apartment Association

Southern California rents, $2,400 and climbing

08/10/2022 8:49 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Los Angeles County rents continued to rebound from pandemic-era rent drops, rising 14.1% last quarter to a record-high of $2,407 — up almost $300 a month from the year before.

Housing factions use two state laws as weapons

08/10/2022 8:32 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

As California ramps up pressure on local governments to increase housing production, two state laws are being employed by warring factions.

Down in the trenches of California’s seemingly perpetual clashes over housing, warring factions are employing two decades-old state laws as weapons.

One is the famous — or infamous — California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), signed by then-Gov. Ronald Reagan in 1970, that requires authorities to determine whether proposed developments have environmental impacts that must be mitigated.

The other, much less known, is the California Housing Accountability Act (HAA), signed by Reagan’s successor, Jerry Brown, in 1982 to prevent local governments from rejecting housing projects without good reason.

Injunction Against Landlords in Section 8

08/09/2022 9:27 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Filed in February, the lawsuit alleged that landlords Jonathan Lee, Leon Lee and Jenny Lee committed housing discrimination against the tenant, who came off the waitlist for a Section 8 voucher in December.

The 69-year-old tenant was "a liver transplant recipient" who was "paying all but $198.00 of her monthly income on rent while using food stamps," according to the City Attorney's office.

SMa.r.t. Column: Ode to the Future of My City

08/09/2022 9:25 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

I sit and ask myself “what is the answer”? For smart development, you need a creative balance, a meeting of “business” and “residential” communities before our city’s coffin is nailed shut and buried 6 feet in mistakes. Do we want responsible growth or unbridled growth? Can we reach a successful compromise before it’s too late?

Coastal Commission poised to reject Malibu short-term rental rules

08/08/2022 5:10 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

At present, Malibu is operating under an interim ordinance that limits STRs through a permit system; the proposed new rules, referred to as a “hosted ordinance,” require an onsite host present on the property for the duration of each rental period, for a single-family home, condominium or duplex. Different rules apply to multifamily rental properties.

For its part, Malibu argues that the proliferation of STRs disrupts neighborhoods and removes “some of the most affordable housing options in the City.”

Mixed-Use Downtown Apartment Complex Has Highest Rents in City

08/08/2022 8:44 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

See More at: https://smmirror.com/2022/08/mixed-use-downtown-apartment-complex-has-highest-rents-in-city-santa-monica-real-estate-report-august-8th-2022/

Rental Assistance for Rent Control Increase 2022

08/06/2022 10:12 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The City is aware that tenants in rent controlled units are concerned about potential rent increases starting September 1, 2022. The City is working on both short-term and long-term solutions to assist households that will not be able to afford this increase. If you would like to be included on a list of people contacted when solutions are rolled out, please complete the form below.

Candidates Pull Papers

08/06/2022 10:08 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

That brings the total number of potential candidates vying for seats on the Santa Monica City Council, School Board, College Board and Rent Control Board to 37, according to the City Clerk's office.

New cap on rent controlled increases to go before voters

08/05/2022 5:28 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Annual increases in rent controlled units are currently defined as a percentage of inflation limited to a maximum of 6% or $140. Voters will be asked to cut that in half setting a new annual cap at 3% or $70.

City Council Approves Ballot Measure to Establish a 3% Cap on Rent Increases

08/05/2022 9:13 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

At last night’s meeting, the Santa Monica City Council approved a resolution to place a measure on the November 8, 2022 ballot that would amend the City Charter to establish for 2022 an average General Adjustment (GA) cap of 3% or $70 and establish a maximum GA of 3% for future years.

This measure will support tenants of rent-controlled units who will be impacted by the 6% rent increase GA that will take effect September 1, 2022, as outlined in the City Charter. A Housing Needs Survey was distributed to Santa Monicans in June 2022 to better understand the impacts of the 6% increase on residents and help the City target its use of $2.2 million in allocated federal HOME American Rescue Plan funds and $750,000 in Council-approved funds to support those most vulnerable to the increase.