Rent Control and Housing Problems in the Southland

A compelling dilemma in the housing arena is the current rent-law loopholes that have strangled many an innocent tenant while some greedy landlords are attempting to escape the law’s noose.

The vacancy decontrol provision is one of the glaring loopholes that has strangled tenants’ rights. The landlords have money to lobby their cause. But powerless tenants often vacate their premises under landlords harassing pressure. Under the vacancy loophole landlords can win twice or three times the rent of the long-standing, low-paying previous tenant.

A plea for humanity and reasonableness in this crisis:

To Tenants: Believe in your inalienable right to live in peace and courageously pursue those rights.

To Landlords: Be grateful for reasonable profits--do not grab for more while throwing innocent tenants on roofless streets.

To Lawyers: Take heed of aggrieved tenants and their meritorious cases: Represent them on a contingency basis.

To Judges: Dispense justice. Honor the wronged tenant and punish the greedy landlord.

To our City of Los Angeles legal body: Take heart. Protect the roof over your citizens’ heads or the homeless crisis will further decay.

ANITA PHILLIPS

Los Angeles