West Hollywood : Plan to Plug Rent Loophole
A plan to plug a loophole in West Hollywood’s tough rent control law has moved ahead.
Under the plan unanimously approved by the City Council, landlords whose properties are exempt from rent control would have to provide relocation benefits to tenants forced to move by sharp rent increases. The council held off enacting an ordinance to allow city staff time to recommend how large such rent increases should be before triggering the relocation benefits.
Mayor Abbe Land said she introduced the measure after renters in a building complained of receiving notices that their rents were to be more than doubled, some from $1,100 to as much as $2,500. The owner wants to convert the apartments into condominiums.
Because the building at 944 Palm Ave. was in rental service prior to 1979, it is exempt from most provisions of West Hollywood’s 1985 rent control law. However, owners of exempt buildings still must pay relocation fees for tenants if the property is removed from the rental market.
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