Santa Monica : Board OKs Rent Increases

The Santa Monica Rent Control Board voted unanimously to allow landlords to raise rents 6% this year and approved on a 3-2 vote a proposal to set $25 as the minimum increase.

Board Chairwoman Susan Packer Davis and Commissioner Wayne Bauer voted against the $25 minimum, saying that it would hurt low-income tenants. The $25 minimum increase would apply to apartments with rents of $420 a month or less.

In allowing the 6% increase effective Sept. 1, the board ignored a staff recommendation to set the annual allowable rent increase at 6.77% with a $35 minimum. The staff had originally recommended a 7.5% increase, but recalculated its formula to come up with the smaller increase.

Although the 6% increase is the largest allowed since rent control was imposed in 1979, landlords complained that it was not enough because of rising costs.

Landlords have submitted a petition with more than 11,700 signatures calling for a ballot measure in November that would allow landlords to raise rents to market levels whenever an apartment is voluntarily vacated.

At least 7,843 signatures must be verified by the county registrar-recorder for the measure to be placed on the ballot.