ACTION Apartment Association

National rental assistance program set to run out of cash

03/20/2025 10:48 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

A $5 billion pot of federal money set aside to help people on the verge of homelessness pay the rent is running out of cash — and no one has a plan to keep the roughly 60,000 renters, more than 15,000 of them in California — from losing their housing after the last dollar is spent.

Local rents climb

03/20/2025 10:39 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Santa Monica's rental market appears to be accelerating compared to last year. Two months into 2025, rents have risen 1.1%, which stands in contrast to the same period in 2024 when rents had decreased by 0.5% from January to February.

Council to Explore Hiking Water Rates

03/19/2025 8:30 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Santa Monica water rates will need to rise in each of the next five years if the City's water fund is expected to stay afloat, a report to the City Council warns.

Businesses rates could rise by as much as $73 per month, while multifamily buildings could see monthly increases of $10 per unit.

SM.a.r.t Column: Fire Safety in Los Angeles

03/17/2025 10:47 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Advanced testing and modern building science indicates residences will be best protected with (1) proper spacing apart to avoid the devastating domino effect, (2) a 200-foot “defensible space” perimeter, and (3) a 5-foot spacing of non-combustibles around the residence to reduce fire transmission. After ember-spread flame-fronts ignite buildings, fire-storms are created, radiating temperatures on surfaces from 1,500 to 2,500 deg. Fahrenheit. Such an intensified heat caused concrete, terra-cotta, and brick to crumble, while shattering windows, sliding glass doors, and creating wind-fed fire-tunnels to interiors that fueled total destruction. Significantly, the resulting regulatory framework will shift toward increased inspection frequency, stricter enforcement, and enhanced penalties for non-compliance.

City to Launch New Renters’ Protection Program

03/14/2025 1:47 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The City Council on Tuesday approved a new Renters’ Protection Program that will initially provide $8 million to expand legal counseling and help tenants at risk of eviction pay their rent.

The financial assistance ranges from a one-time payment of up to $5,000 per household to as much as $20,000 to those fighting eviction lawsuits with the City's help.

Poll Finds Scant Support for Record Bond

03/12/2025 10:33 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Asked if they supported a possible $460 million general obligation bond to help the cash-strapped City pay for unfunded capital projects, 87 percent said no, 7 percent yes and 6 percent weren't sure.

Housing Authority official says LA could see rise in homelessness after Section 8 changes

03/11/2025 1:32 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Last week, the Housing Authority announced no new or ongoing applications were being processed for Section 8, which assists 60,000 households in LA by offering rental subsidy payments to private landlords on behalf of very low-income families, senior citizens and people with disabilities. The nationwide program is funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), one of a number of federal agencies facing funding cuts and other changes or downsizing under the Trump Administration.

Council to Consider Banning "Price-Fixing" Rental Software

03/08/2025 10:16 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The City Council on Tuesday will consider drafting an ordinance to ban the use of price-fixing software that may have been used to jack up rent prices in the LA area after the recent wildfires.

The proposed ordinance, which would return for Council approval within 60 days, would include "enforceable penalties for noncompliance," according to the item placed in the agenda by Councilmembers Caroline Torosis, Ellis Raskin and Dan Hall.

Newsom extends rental price gouging protections after L.A. fires

03/08/2025 10:13 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Friday's executive order:

Caps prices until July 1 for rental housing, hotels and motels to no more than 10% from before the state of emergency was declared due to the fires.
Prohibits landlords until July 1 from evicting tenants so they could relist rental properties at a higher price.
Exempts until July 1 single family homes of four bedrooms or more in certain zip codes — many in L.A.'s west side — from the 10% rent cap if they weren't in the rental market in the year before the emergency.

City Officials Considering Unprecedented Bond

03/07/2025 5:02 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Santa Monica officials are exploring an unprecedented $460 million bond measure to pay for capital projects traditionally funded by ongoing City revenues.