ACTION Apartment Association

A ‘low-profile’ revolution’ helps change the face of local governments

08/27/2018 8:03 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Santa Monica, one of the state’s most left-leaning cities, would seem to be an unlikely arena for a court battle over racial discrimination.

However, in a trial this month, the city defends electing city council members “at large” by all voters, rather than from districts. A lawsuit contends that the system discriminates against Latinos and other nonwhite residents.

It’s the latest of many legal challenges to local governments under the California Voting Rights Act, a 2002 law that makes it easier to overturn at-large voting.

Read more here: https://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/op-ed/article217294180.html#storylink=cpy

Editorial: Prop. 10 would exacerbate California’s housing crisis

08/27/2018 7:59 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Rents in California, especially the Bay Area, are soaring. Decent housing is unaffordable for far too many.

But the solution is to build more housing, not restrict rents. That’s why voters should reject Proposition 10 on the Nov. 6 ballot.

The initiative would lift state limitations on local rent control laws, allowing cities to impose restrictions on more housing. That’s the last thing we need. It would only make the situation worse.

Rent control is a feel-good idea. A quick fix to a complicated problem. But it is not very effective at protecting poor or vulnerable tenants. And, more significantly, rent control discourages new rental home construction, the very thing we need to ease the state’s housing crisis.

Affordable Housing Topped Out in Santa Monica

08/27/2018 7:52 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The wood frame of the Arroyo development is now complete in Santa Monica, and exterior finishes are currently being applied to the affordable housing complex.

Located at 1626 Lincoln Boulevard, the project will be owned and operated by the nonprofit Community Corp. of Santa Monica. The five-story building will feature 64 one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments, which will be made affordable to households earning between 30 and 60 percent of the area median income.

Short Term Rental Goes Back to Malibu City Council September 11th

08/27/2018 7:49 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Malibu’s Short Term Rental ordinance finally went through a fine tooth comb with Malibu City Council July 9th addressing many issues brought forward by residents who packed City Hall presenting arguments on both sides of the issue.

After hours of deliberation, it was decided that the STR ordinance will pass a final council vote on September 11th, and will commence in March 2019.

After 2 years, City Council instructed Staff with 4-0 vote to revise the STR Ordinance at Monday night’s hearing. Some of the new inclusions are, Mandatory Permitting, Limiting to Primary Residences, and some Platform Accountability rules for the online platforms like Airbnb to follow.

A City Crying for Change

08/24/2018 12:27 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

SM.a.r.t. Column

In the waning days of summer, SMa.r.t. (Santa Monica Architects for a Responsible Tomorrow) turns its thoughts to the fall which means the upcoming elections where residents will elect a City Council that might actually try to help solve the important issues confronting the residents of our City.

If we were to make a list of those issues, number one might be personal safety. With crime up about 18% since the last election, with seniors being mugged and assaulted in broad daylight downtown, and the Ocean Park library vandalized, the crime reduction prognosis is not good.

A House Divided Over Homelessness

08/24/2018 12:15 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Venice’s temporary housing discussion is fraught with anxiety and political theater

In Venice there is a widespread consensus about “the homeless problem” among longtime residents, more recent transplants, community leaders and even the homeless themselves: Yes, there is a problem here, and that problem needs to be addressed.

But that’s where agreement tends to stop. Ask Venetians about potential remedies for homelessness and responses can be as multifarious, cacophonous and eccentric as the characters you’d find holding court along the boardwalk on a late summer afternoon.

LA considering pet-friendly requirement for affordable housing

08/24/2018 12:03 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Projects funded by the city would have to allow pets

Los Angeles pet owners could have an easier time finding affordable housing if a proposal moving through the city council becomes law.

On Wednesday, the council’s housing committee approved a motion authored by Councilmember Paul Koretz asking the city’s housing department to require developers of publicly funded affordable housing projects to allow pets in those developments.

Dueling experts testify in voting rights case

08/22/2018 11:06 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The fourth week of the California Voting Rights Act trial challenging Santa Monica’s election system continued to be a battle of experts, with detailed questioning regarding regression formulas, statistics and margins of error, dragging the contentious bench trial into late August and likely well into September. A similar trial in Palmdale lasted only 8 days.

Housing Dept. files discrimination complaint against Facebook

08/20/2018 7:40 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The social network is said to have violated the Fair Housing Act with targeting advertising, including allowing ads to be limited based on a user's religion.

Huge risks to mom and pop landlord in California

08/20/2018 7:36 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

“We are high school teachers and will retire next year. Our accountant warned, “As California’s pension obligations are badly underfunded, consider an additional revenue source, such as becoming landlords and buying a small, single family home.’

“But friends warned us about owners trying to evict deadbeat tenants who hire law firms which sue the landlord. To get them out, owners have to pay thousands of dollars and allow months of rent-free occupancy.