ACTION Apartment Association

Newsom signs bill seeking to streamline homebuilding

10/10/2019 9:05 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed a bill Wednesday, Oct. 9, aimed at boosting homebuilding in California by capping fees, slashing the time to get new developments approved and banning local governments from imposing population and housing caps.

Other bills signed Tuesday include a measure requiring a 90-day notice for rent hikes greater than 10%, up from 60 days; a measure prohibiting landlords from discriminating against tenants with Section 8 vouchers or other public assistance paid to landlords; and a bill banning discrimination against people in the military and veterans.

Rent Control Board to Consider Whether a Rental Unit May be Removed from Rent Control

10/09/2019 8:50 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

At its Thursday night meeting, the Santa Monica Rent Control Board will consider the removal of a rent controlled unit from the rental market. A recent California Court of Appeal decision seems to say that when the RCB grants permission for a landlord to remove a unit from the rental market, they are in fact removing rent control itself from that property.

Governor Signs Santa Monica Lawmaker's Bill That Closes Ellis "Loopholes"

10/09/2019 8:40 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

A bill sponsored by Santa Monica Assemblymember Richard Bloom that closes loopholes in the State Ellis Act was signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom on Tuesday.

AB 1399 -- part of a package of tenant protection measures signed by the Governor -- places conditions and restrictions on landlords who evict tenants in order to exit the rental market under the 1985 Ellis Act.

Newsom signs AB 1482, capping rent hikes

10/08/2019 5:02 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

In a move aimed at stemming the tide of skyrocketing rents that have helped spur a statewide housing crisis, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a sweeping rent cap bill into law Tuesday.

Governor to sign AB 1482 today

10/08/2019 1:50 PM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced today that he will sign Assembly Bill 1482 this afternoon, enacting rent control in California in 2020.

California puts $15 billion schools bond on March ballot

10/08/2019 9:05 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Californians will vote next year whether the state should issue $15 billion in bonds for school construction and modernization projects.

SMPD Chief Cynthia Renaud's Quarterly Crime Update

10/08/2019 8:55 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

In the last month, Santa Monica has experienced a handful of unique and high-profile incidents that attracted media coverage and news helicopters. I understand how that may cause some to feel unsafe. I want to reassure when crimes occur you have an extremely professional and highly trained police force working to keep you safe every day.

For the year to date, we are experiencing a 15 percent decrease in our Part 1 crimes. These crimes include homicide, rape, robbery, assault, burglary, theft and motor vehicle theft. We have not seen a decrease like this in a few years.

AND: http://surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2019/October-2019/10_08_2019_Crime_Dropped_in_Santa_Monica_During_First_Nine_Months_of_Year.html

Downtown Santa Monica Among Nation's Most Expensive Zip Codes for Renters

10/08/2019 8:52 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Downtown Santa Monica ranked among the nation's 50 most expensive Zip codes to rent an apartment, but was topped by four other areas around Los Angeles, according to an annual ranking by an online rental website.

The list, released last week by RENTCafe, ranked 90401 as the 43rd most expensie Zip code for renters in 2019, with an average rent of $3,787.

Landlords say state rent caps may force them to raise rents more frequently

10/08/2019 7:47 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Prominent landlord attorney Dennis Block stood before a crowd of more than 200 at an apartment owners trade show in Pasadena and, to laughs, boasted of having evicted “more tenants than anybody else on the planet Earth.”

Block said he was proud to enforce what he said America was built on: property rights. He then talked about the “scourge of this new statewide rent control that is coming up” and offered some ways that landlords could evade rules that as of Jan. 1 would cap annual increases for tenants at 5% plus inflation and require “just cause” to evict.

Preserving Our Diversity (POD) - Applications

10/07/2019 8:26 AM | Margaret Fulton (Administrator)

Program Status

The Preserving Our Diversity (POD) program provides financial assistance to extremely low-income, long-term Santa Monica residents, aged 65 and older, who live in rent-controlled apartments and whose inability to pay rent may result in displacement from Santa Monica.

Beginning Monday, November 4, 2019, 9:00 a.m. (Pacific Standard Time), register for an application for the POD program.