The following letter was mailed to AOA from an anonymous individual.
I’m granted the privilege and opportunity of commenting upon and evaluating Housing Policies that impact the residential income industry. I have the unique benefit of obtaining contributions and information from many of our industry’s attorneys, accountants and others. Over time, we’ve discussed complex and complicated issues such as Section 8 vouchers, trash hauling, the annual rental adjustment formula for rental increase in certain cities, “just cause” evictions, comfort animals and the sealing of eviction records. Now, we are faced with perhaps the most dangerous issue to ever confront our industry, with the exception of the repeal of Proposition 13.
A small group in Northern California in the bay area, known as “tenant’s Together” with the Western Center on Law and Poverty and the Legal Aid Foundation have promoted Assembly Bill 1506, authored by Richard Bloom, D-Santa Monica. Simply stated, AB 1506 would repeal the Costa-Hawkins Fair Housing Act of 1995. It would promote, encourage and allow any California city to install the most restrictive and oppressive rent control. Single family homes, condominiums, granny flats, new construction and of course, units that became vacant after January 1, 1999 would all fall under the “jurisdiction” of rent control.
City housing departments would probably grow to several thousand employees. You would be obligated to register your unit and of course, be obliged to make the unit available for inspection. The Housing Director and his or her staff would have the highest salaries in the city. When a unit became vacant, you would not be able to increase rent to “market rates.” To register the unit, you would have to utilize dozens of forms. Private and confidential information, such as the “profiles” of your tenants and the sum of money they pay for rent would be demanded. This is the ultimate “big government” with obnoxious and inappropriate protocols and regulations.
Members need to fight and my staff, over time, is going to provide the contact information for local Assemblypersons and State Senators. Letters should be written to the Governor. Every local City Councilperson who might consider supporting AB 1506 should be contacted so as to prevent the Los Angeles City Council and others from drafting and posting a RESOLUTION Supporting AB 1506.
AB 1506 must be stopped. AB 1506 is a declaration of war against small family rental owners.
[AOA: Please write a new letter in opposition or make a copy of this letter and send it to your California Assembly Representative and to Assemblyman Chiu at 455 Golden Gate Avenue, Suite 14300, San Francisco, CA 94102. Go to www.assembly.ca.gov/assemblymembers to find the person who represents your area. Thank you for supporting the industry! This bill has currently been set aside until next year however, we need to continue to put the pressure on and educate these politicians who probably have never had to run a business before. Thank you!]
Dear Dan:
This is the content of an email I sent to LA City Councilperson Bonin today: The L.A. Housing & Community Investment Department 2017 Annual Rent Registry form requiring rent amount and tenancy information is an intrusion of privacy. It violates the 4th Amendment of the United States: The Fourth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States ensures that “the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation. AOA Member