Page 11 - AAGLA-MAR 2022

Board President’s Message
BOARD PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
AAGLA’s 105th Year: More Relevant And Important Than Any Other Time In Our
AHistory
By Cheryl Turner, President of the Board of Directors
s I enter my second year as President of the the Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles, we must take notice that more than ever before, this organization’s has never been more relevant and important for those of us in the rental housing industry. Seemingly, we are experiencing changes at warped
speed as more and more jurisdictions come under threat or succumb to rent control and tenant protections, and as our state legislators and local officials continue to devise even more regulations that continue to erode the rights that we possess from property ownership. Yet, in the face of these challenges, the Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles is here, standing by and ready to serve our members’ needs through education, expert advice, lease forms and notices, and advocacy at all levels of government across multiple jurisdictions. Now in our 105th year, the Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles could not possibly have any greater relevance and importance than any other time in its history.
By now, you should all be aware that the Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles has undertaken the action of suing the County of Los Angeles to end the County’s eviction moratorium which currently allows all tenants to skip paying rent no matter their income or financial condition by simply submitting a statement, without any supporting evidence, that they cannot pay rent because they are financially impacted by COVID-19. The lawsuit also seeks to end the County’s ordinance provisions that imposes a freeze on all rent increases, even on those tenants who can and who are actually paying rent.
There is simply no rational basis for continuing to impose a moratorium on evictions and rent increases when both the Federal and State governments have lifted their moratoria, and when the United States Supreme Court has expressly ruled that allowing a tenant to “self-certify” that they cannot pay rent due to COVID-19 without affording the landlord a hearing on this issue is a denial of due process of law. We are pleased to receive an offer to team up on the case with the Apartment Owners Association of California and its members. However, our legal efforts would not be possible without your contributions to our LegalFund. So,again,thankyoutoG.H.PalmerandAssociates, and to David Greenhut for their generous contributions, as well as to all of you who continue to support our legal efforts
through your generous contributions. As we continue pressing our lawsuits onto anticipated victory, please contribute to our Legal Fund at www.AAGLA.org/LegalFund.
TheJune2022primaryelectionisfastapproaching. OurPolitical Action Committee will soon begin to conduct interviews of qualified candidates for the offices of Mayor, City Council, County Supervisor, State Senate and State Assembly, as well as for all other offices that have an impact on property ownership rights. Inthecomingmonths,youwillbehearingfromuswith our recommendations and possible endorsements. During election years like this, your PAC contributions are so very important because they will help us to support the campaigns of our endorsed candidates who are sympathetic to our members’ issues.
I am also letting you know now, that the State Senate Seat for District 28, formerly District 30, has re-opened, and I am running for that seat. We need a representative in Sacramento, like me, who understands the daily challenges facing small business, “mom and pop” rental housing providers and who has a record of standing up for the rights of all property owners. I hope that I can count on your votes and any other support in theupcomingelection. Soon,Iwillbeprovidingyouwithmore updates about my campaign for office and my platform, which will seek balanced legislation for housing providers, be tough on crime, and focus on education and our state’s future. For more information about my campaign, please visit: https:// www.cherylturnerforsenate.com/.
As always, I am here for you. Thank you for allowing me to be your President. I am proud to serve another year. And, I am proud of the many great successes we had last year by defeating to tamping down horrible legislation, delivering the highest levels of quality membership services and education, and providing numerous opportunities for meaningful engagement ofourmembersandbusinesscouncil. Lastyear,weproduced approximately 90 weekly webinars that were attended by more than 5,000 members and rental property owners, we defeated dozens of local and statewide legislative proposals, and our membership ranks grew faster than any time in our 105-year history. Intheyearahead,wewillcontinuetoimproveupon our past successes while at the same time offering new services in an ongoing effort to meet the needs of all of our members.
APARTMENT AGE • MARCH 2022 11