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Local Advocacy Update
Local Advocacy Update
By Danielle Leidner-Peretz, Director, RGovernment Affairs & External Relations
Due to the myriad of jurisdictions, each with different rules, we encourage members to confirm the status of any local moratoriums / rent increase freezes in localities in which you have property and consult with an attorney with questions related to specific tenancies and the applicability of local ordinances.
Our Association is continually monitoring and advocating for our members interests in localities throughout Southern California on a multitude of critical issues affecting the rental housing industry. Summarized below are some of the issues that will be coming up, that were recently considered or that have been approved.
City of Los Angeles RecycLA Rate Relief Program Extended. In April 2021, following the City’s RecycLA rate increase of 6.15%, a Rate Relief Plan was established to enable multifamily property owner customers to defer the 2021 rate increase, the repayment of which was to be made by December 30, 2021 unless a further repayment period was mutually agreed upon with the individual waste hauler.
This year, another even larger RecycLA rate increase of 7.8% went into effect on January 1, 2022. Prior to the 2022 rate increase, in December 2021, the Council introduced a motion directing the Bureau of Sanitation to report on efforts to extend the 2021 Rate Relief program to help customers experiencing financial challenges. In response, the RecycLA Service Providers (RSP’s) extended the Rate Relief program for 2022.
At the February 1, 2022 City Council meeting, the Council advanced an amending motion introduced by Councilmember’s Harris-Dawson and Cedillo directing the Bureau of Sanitation to report in April 2022 on the number of multifamily customers that have requested deferment of the January 2022 rate increase, the extent of the RecycLA Service Providers (RSP’s) outreach efforts, and how customers were notified of the rate increase.
The 2022 RecycLA Multifamily Rate Relief Program enables owners of multifamily properties, upon notification to the waste hauler, to defer their 2022 rate increase. Multifamily owner customers can defer the rate increase through June 2022 and will have until September 30, 2022 to pay the deferred amount owed. Customers have the option of paying over the course of three months or a lump sum payment by September 30, 2022. Multifamily customers whose deferred amount is in excess of $1,000 will be provided additional time to repay any deferred sanitation fees owed.
ent control, “just cause” eviction requirements, local eviction moratoriums, and rent increase freezes continue to be a focus at the local government level.
In February, the Oxnard City Council continued discussions regarding local rent control and “just cause” eviction
regulations. In the city of Long Beach, the City Council there adopted amendments to their no-fault tenancy terminations based on substantial remodel requirements. In West Hollywood, a city where rent control has long been established, the City Council approved amendments to their Rent Stabilization Ordinance which includes expansion of the City’s rent registry to non-rent stabilized units. The West Hollywood City Council also established an Ad Hoc Subcommittee to consider, among other matters, the development of additional long-term renter protections for city residents.
The Los Angeles City Council once again extended the City’s local emergency and through that action the continuation of the City’s eviction moratorium and rent increase freeze. In the City of Beverly Hills, which also has had an eviction moratorium and rent increase freeze in effect since 2020 with an expiration that is tied to their local emergency, the City Council directed staff to return with an ordinance that will end their eviction moratorium and rent increase freeze on May 31, 2022. Lastly, on January 25th, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors implemented a phased plan for the Countywide eviction moratorium which applies to both the County’s incorporated cities and unincorporated areas and a rent increase freeze which applies only to rent stabilized units within the unincorporated areas – this latest extension commenced on February 1st and will continue through the end of 2022 and potentially remain in place to some extent into 2023.
The Association continues to strongly advocate for these local eviction moratoriums and rent increase freezes to end immediately. Nearly two years have passed since the COVID-19 pandemic begun. The circumstances that exist today significantly differ from two years ago when these local interim emergency measures were adopted. Today, the State is fully reopened, businesses are operating normally, vaccinations and boaster shots are available. Super Bowl 2022 held at SoFi Stadium exemplifies the vastly different situation of today compared to March 2020. Yet, 2020 emergency measures continue.
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