ACTION Apartment Association

Chief discussing May looting with community groups

09/18/2020 8:12 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

With the official report analyzing the city’s response to the May 31 looting delayed by at least six months, Police Chief Cynthia Renaud has begun touring local community groups to provide details on the delay and answer community concerns over public safety.

Lawsuit Seeks Reimbursement For Unpaid Rent During COVID Emergency

09/18/2020 8:06 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

A group of rental companies has sued eight Southern California cities -- including Santa Monica -- seeking reimbursement for unpaid rent deferred during the coronavirus emergency.

Filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Friday, the lawsuit -- which also names the County and State -- claims the eviction moratoriums imposed by the defendants over the past half year constitute a takings without just compensation.

Malibu Gives Initial Approval To Short-Term Rental Ordinance

09/18/2020 7:52 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The Malibu City Council gave initial approval to a temporary short-term rental enforcement ordinance Monday night. If approved at a later meeting, the enforcement ordinance will take effect Jan. 15, 2021.

Nine in Ten Renters Expected to Pay Full Rent

09/16/2020 10:03 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Nine in ten U.S. renters paid their rent in full last month and are expected to do the same in September, although many will once again pay late, according to a nationwide survey by Apartment List.

The apartment rental site -- which has been surveying more than 4,000 tenants nationwide every month since the coronavirus emergency began -- found that 68 percent of renters made an on-time payment in the first week of September.

Santa Monica City Council Enacts New Chinese Exclusion Law

09/15/2020 8:50 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

By Mathew Millen

On September 8, the City Council enacted a new ordinance governing the rental of housing in Santa Monica ("Santa Monica Council Approves Measures to Spur New Housing," August 26, 2020).

Under the ordinance, "a landlord and tenant may enter into a lease only if the tenant will use and occupy the rental housing unit as the tenant’s primary residence."

The new law also requires that the lease be for at least one year and prohibits a property owner to lease furnished housing, a feature college students and medical interns at our hospitals frequently look for.

In effect, rental housing providers can no longer rent to foreign students under the ordinance.

Council keeps police budget intact

09/15/2020 8:45 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

A number of public safety reforms are in motion after Santa Monica City Council members approved a slate of recommendations Tuesday. But city leaders decided it was best to keep local police resources intact after it was suggested that Council shave $8 million off the Santa Monica Police Department’s annual operating budget.

Planning Commission Urges Council to Fast-Track Miramar Redevelopment

09/15/2020 8:36 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The Planning Commission voted 6 to 1 last week to support the proposed redevelopment of the Fairmont Miramar Hotel and urged the City Council to fast-track one of the most ambitious projects in Santa Monica history.

Transparency Project – 5 Seats, 22 Candidates

09/14/2020 8:40 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

In the November 2020 election for Santa Monica City Council, a plethora of candidates have registered to compete with incumbent Councilors to represent our city in the trying times ahead. As voters, how do we sift through the various statements, positions, and platforms to decide which candidates deserve our support?

The simplest question is the most obvious: do you like the direction the city is going?

Political groups release endorsement information

09/14/2020 8:39 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

With dozens of candidates running for the various school district, rent control board, and city council seats that are up for grabs this year, Santa Monicans will have a number of choices to make when they submit their ballots in November. Luckily, local political groups have already begun vetting candidates and making endorsements.

More than half-a-dozen organizations have made their endorsements known publicly this election season but a few more could be released prior to November.

1 in 5 Tenants in County Have Struggled to Pay Rent

09/14/2020 8:21 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

UCLA and USC release joint report on impact of COVID-19 pandemic on renters

Over 22 percent of Los Angeles County tenants paid rent late at least once from April to July, while between May and July, about 7 percent did not pay any rent at least once, according to a recent study.

A joint UCLA–USC report released August 31 reports among households in the county that did not pay rent, either in full or partially, about 98,000 tenants have been threatened with an eviction, while an additional 40,000 report that their landlord has already begun eviction proceedings against them.