News and Events

News Alert: West Hollywood Suspends 1-Year Lease Requirement

On January 21, 2025, the West Hollywood City Council unanimously passed an urgency ordinance entitled, "Emergency Urgency Ordinance in Response to Fires" that goes into effect immediately. The ordinance suspends the existing the 1-year minimum lease requirement for all rental housing (including multifamily as well as hotels) to wildfire victims for 18 months, namely July 21, 2026. However, the minimum lease term must be for at least 30 days.

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Gov. Newsom issues executive order barring L.A. County landlords from evicting tenants housing wildfire victims

LOS ANGELES (KTLA) – Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order Friday prohibiting landlords in Los Angeles County from evicting tenants who open their doors to wildfire victims. “At a time when so many have been suddenly displaced, we need more housing and shelter than ever. Opening your place of residence to help shelter those in need is not only encouraged and generous, but deserves to be protected,” Newsom said in a statement.

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AB 2493: Tenancy: application screening fee

Existing law authorizes a landlord or their agent, when they receive a request to rent a residential property, to charge an application screening fee to cover the cost of obtaining information about the applicant. Existing law also prohibits a landlord or their agent from charging an applicant an application screening fee when they know or should have known that no rental unit is available at that time or will be available within a reasonable period of time, unless the applicant agrees in writing. Existing law also requires a landlord or their agent, if an applicant that has paid an application screening fee makes a request, to provide a copy of the consumer credit report to the applicant who is the subject of that report.

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We Love LA. These Are Ways You Can Help Your Local Communities

As you know, the LA-area fires have devastated many communities in LA County. Our team would like to thank the fire fighters and first responders in every jurisdiction, and countless of community members that are showing solidarity by giving to charities, fostering animals, volunteering, donating items to local shelters, making meals, and much much more. All of these efforts show great courage and resilience.

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With Prop. 34, California landlords notch last victory against AHF

AIDS Healthcare Foundation President Michael Weinstein conceded in the fight against Proposition 34 Friday after results showed the proposition will pass by a slim majority, defanging the main sponsor behind multiple attempts to repeal the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act.

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Editorial News Alert: L.A. City Creates New Enforcement Program Against All Non-RSO Property Owners

On November 5th, the Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously to create a new enforcement program applicable to all rental housing providers with properties that are not currently subject to the city’s existing rent stabilization ordinance (RSO). All property owners who have multifamily properties built after October 1, 1978, single-family houses (including mansions), condominiums, accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and Junior ADUs (collectively, “Non-RSO” owners) will now be required to pay $31.05 per rental housing unit to the City of Los Angeles in order to pay for this new enforcement program, which will hold rental property owners accountable to comply with several, recently passed ordinances targeting Non-RSO owners, and that will be implemented in December 2024.

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Southern California to see modest rent hikes by 2026, USC says

Rents are expected to rise $58 per month in Los Angeles County by mid-2026, and between $110 and $148 a month in the rest of Southern California, USC’s Casden Multifamily Forecast predicted. That’s an increase to 3.9% from 1.4%.

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L.A. Supervisors Radically Reduce Rent Increase Limits to 60% of CPI with 3% Maximum

On November 6th, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted 4 to 1, Supervisor Kathryn Barger being the only dissenting vote, to drastically reduce the allowable annual rent increase formula to just 60% of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) with a maximum of 3%.

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Los Angeles’ “dingbat” apartments are a kitschy piece of the past

When architect and writer Wendy Gilmartin was in her early 20s, she lived in West Hollywood in what’s known as a dingbat apartment. While she fondly remembered the lighting and wood floors, she especially appreciated the social atmosphere at the building.

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New California law gives tenants more time to respond to eviction notices

Tenants in California will have twice as much time to respond to eviction notices and potentially avoid losing their homes under a bill signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom today. The new law comes amid a statewide housing crisis, and after a surge in evictions followed the expiration of pandemic-era tenant protections. Tenant advocates say Assembly Bill 2347, which doubles the time to respond from 5 to 10 business days, will help renters who live in areas where legal help is scarce or face other life circumstances that make it hard to meet the current deadline.

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