Demolition/conversion of rental housing

Developer Hollywood Tower Volunteers To Place New Apartments Under Rent Control

The developers of a 20-story apartment tower planned for near Capitol Records in Hollywood announced today that they would voluntarily make all of their units rent-controlled. Subjecting the approximately 210 new apartments to the city’s rent control stabilization ordinance will cap rent increases at 3 percent per year. The ordinance applies to housing built prior to 1978—not new projects—so the decision is almost totally unheard of.

Housing Advocates Accuse Luxury Apartment Building in DTLA of Operating as 'Unpermitted Hotel'

A coalition of Los Angeles affordable housing advocates and labor unions isn’t happy about one of Downtown LA’s newer high-rises.

In a letter to the city’s planning director, Vince Bertoni, they accuse Level Furnished Living, home of LA’s “most expensive” penthouse, of operating as an “unpermitted hotel.” The letter calls upon the planning department to open an investigation.

L.A. Overrules Tenant Activists, Allows Beverly Grove Apartments to Become Condos

Los Angeles lawmakers voted Friday to allow a pair of Beverly Grove apartment buildings to be converted into condominiums, overriding the objections of tenant activists who argue that flawed data is fueling the elimination of sorely needed rental units.

The furor over the buildings comes as activists and lawmakers have raised concerns about how the city gauges the vacancy rate — a crucial figure for deciding whether apartments can be converted into condos.

New SRO Law's Surprising Success

It’s been over a month since San Francisco strengthened its law protecting SRO housing, and it’s already working. Introduced by Supervisor Aaron Peskin last December and later co-sponsored by Supervisors Cohen, Kim, Safai, and Sheehy, the new law was designed to stop the common but illegal practice of renting residential SRO rooms to tourists by the week. Now the law is crystal clear that residential units cannot be rented for less than 32 days.

Richmond Rent Program

The Richmond Rent Program is a city program that enforces the Richmond Fair Rent, Just Cause for Evictions and Homeowner's Protection Ordinance. The program provides information and assistance to tenants and landlords who are covered by the Ordinance, which went into effect December 30, 2016. Tenants can call with questions about rent increases, repair and habitability issues, evictions, and other tenant-landlord issues. The City of Richmond also puts on regular Know-Your-Rights trainings. Upcoming trainings: 

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