By Daily Press staff
City Hall has made it easier for consumers to lodge complaints about their landlords or report illegal business practices.
The Santa Monica City Attorney’s Office has launched a new Web site designed to make it easier for residents to file consumer complaints — and to find information about issues such as consumer protection, landlord-tenant relations and disability rights. The Web site is smconsumer.org The City Attorney’s Consumer Protection Unit enforces city and state laws to assure that local businesses treat customers fairly. The consumer unit also enforces many fair housing and landlord-tenant laws, including the Tenant Harassment Ordinance. The unit also addresses disability rights, smoking laws and illegal discrimination. Another service the unit provides is helping consumers with small claims cases against local businesses.
The new Web site has online complaint forms for both consumer and landlord-tenant disputes. It also includes a variety of fact sheets and press releases issued by the unit since 1997.
“Our No. 1 goal is for people to know that we’re here and ready to help them,” said Deputy City Attorney Adam Radinsky. “We hope that local residents will come to us with any consumer questions or complaints. If we can’t address their problem ourselves, we’ll get them in touch with the right agency.” Shots for tots, ’tweens and teens
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on March 28, 2006. Read the original PDF.