ACTION Apartment Association

More Pro-Housing Measures on Agenda

02/07/2025 4:16 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The items comes after the newly seated Council directed staff to draft an ordinance that would allow large housing projects in non-residential neighborhoods to be swiftly approved ("Council Makes it Easier to Build Large Housing Projects," December 18, 2024).

L.A. City Council committee rejects rent freeze, advances eviction protection proposal

02/06/2025 8:30 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

A key Los Angeles City Council committee on Wednesday rejected an effort to freeze rents citywide, but advanced a series of eviction protections for people economically affected by recent fires.

In a 3-1 vote, the Housing and Homelessness Committee approved a motion that would bar landlords from evicting tenants for a variety of reasons, including for nonpayment of rent or if an owner wanted to move into a unit. Such evictions would be prohibited only for tenants who were economically harmed by the fires, and the prohibition would last one year.

The motion heads to the full City Council, where it's unclear it has the votes to pass.

L.A. to bar landlords from evicting tenants for welcoming fire refugees into their homes

02/05/2025 11:38 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The Los Angeles City Council voted Tuesday to prohibit landlords from evicting tenants for allowing people or pets displaced by last month's fires to live with them.

In a 14-0 vote, councilmembers granted preliminary approval to such an ordinance, which supporters say is needed because some residential leases ban unauthorized people or pets.

County Preps for Homeless Count

02/04/2025 11:19 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) is seeking volunteers for the February 20 homeless count in Santa Monica, which was postponed due to the wildfires that burned across the region last month.

SM.a.r.t Column: Peril, Prevention, and the Path Forward

01/31/2025 10:25 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

As the southland fires continue to burn, we must look beyond immediate firefighting to address long-term resilience through comprehensive protection strategies.

Housing at Airport Site Picks Up Steam

01/30/2025 9:01 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Affordable housing -- which has been largely ignored in crafting a plan for the future use of Santa Monica Airport land -- took center stage at Tuesday night's City Council meeting.

County Free Debris Removal Program for Fire-Affected Residents Sign Up Ends Soon

01/29/2025 11:49 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Los Angeles County has launched the Right of Entry form for its free debris removal program, designed to assist residents affected by the Palisades fires.

Residents who wish to participate must complete the Right of Entry form, available for download or submission online at recovery.lacounty.gov/debris-removal. The form is also accessible at Disaster Recovery Centers, where in-person assistance is available daily from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. The local Disaster Recovery Center on the Westside is located at UCLA Research Park West at 10850 West Pico Boulevard. Those with questions or needing help filling out the form can call the Fire Debris Hotline at 844-347-3332.

Local Rents Jump to a Fast Start in 2025

01/29/2025 11:45 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The 2 percent increase in the city's median rent was the highest since September 2023, when rents rose by 2.1 percent, the data provided by the popular rental website show.

The median price for an apartment in Santa Monica currently stands at $2,501, with one bedroom apartments going for a median rent of $2,367 and two bedrooms for $2,838.

SM.a.r.t Column: Peril, Prevention, and the Path Forward

01/27/2025 11:38 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The intensity of these fires exposed critical weaknesses in our emergency response systems. The standard home fire response—two trucks and fifteen firefighters—proved woefully inadequate against wind-driven blazes consuming entire blocks in a short time span. As three retired LAFD Captains noted, the extreme weather forecasts should have triggered advance strategic positioning of fire truck equipment and substantial personnel.

LA City Council Approves Tax Relief for Businesses Hit by Palisades Fire

01/27/2025 11:34 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

The motion directs the City Attorney, in collaboration with the Office of Finance, to draft an urgency ordinance that would exempt from the tax businesses completely destroyed by the wildfire, those that were non-operational for 60 or more consecutive days due to the fire, and sole proprietors like housekeepers, gardeners, and childcare providers who have suffered significant income loss due to client displacement.