Below is an open letter sent to Mayor Villaraigosa.
Dear Mayor Villaraigosa:
Approximately six years ago, the L.A. City Council arranged for the Economic Round Table Group to investigate the feasibility of continuing with rent control within the City. The Council allocated $1,000,000 for the report. The report was issued and apparently, Mercedes Marquez failed to deliver the report to others. Ultimately, it was revealed that the Round Table recommended many substantial and fundamental changes in the RSO.
To date, there have been no changes. LAHD is run by a small group of former tenant activists. There is no leadership inclusion from apartment owners or apartment owner suppliers or vendors.
For example, the Round Table Report recommended that the annual rental adjust be calculated on a pure CPI analysis and that the arcane formula of averaging two previous years be immediately eliminated. LAHD agreed to this protocol in September of 2010 and to date, it has never been implemented. LAHD inspectors have been found to be guilty of extortion, fraud and other misconduct. LAHD, in a recent Superior Court judgment, was instructed that they have no jurisdiction or authority over citing owners for building code violations. There have been no real explanations as to the mechanism associated with REAP.
There has been a failure to adequately adjust the annual rental formula to take into consideration the alarming rise in costs of utilities (water by 18%, sewage by 28% and solid trash by 44%).
Finally, the Mayor himself now suggests that he would like to abolish the safety protection of Proposition 13. ‘s suggested that a meeting be convened with apartment owners and the Mayor’s office.
Respectfully,
Michael Millman, Esq.