By Art Korvel Santa Monica
I read the recent article (SMDP, July 28, page 1) announcing Kevin McKeown’s candidacy for re-election as Santa Monica City Councilman. Santa Monica has been the home of my family for more than 20 years. I am a local business owner, local home owner and am genuinely invested in making this city the best it can be. I will be voting for city coun-cilmembers who have integrity and will work hard correcting the problems in Santa Monica such as with the transients, violence in the Pico area, rent control abuse and traffic and parking. There seems to be a conflict of interest with Kevin Mckeown’s candidacy.
Many of us in Santa Monica believe that the good intentions of this city’s original rent control organizers have gone astray. It is the rent control board that is directly responsible for the lack of apartments in the city, the high-market rental rates, the poor condition of apartment buildings and the friction between the rent-control renters and the landlords/market rate renters. According to the Rent Control Charter Amendment, “A growing shortage of housing units resulting in a low-vacancy rate and rapidly-rising rents exploiting this shortage constitute a serious housing problem. These conditions endanger the public health and welfare of Santa Monica tenants, especially the poor, minorities, students, young families, and senior citizens.” This is true, however the problem is that there is no means in place for testing a tenant’s status to determine who benefits from below-market rent. All of us are aware of disgusting situations where a renter is abusing this rule such as living mostly in their primary home elsewhere. Many of the individuals still benefiting from rent control just happened to be in those apartments when the ordinance was founded.
In the article, Mr. McKeown says he is “a 30-year renter, former member of the Santa Monica for Renter’s Rights (SMRR) steering committee and has been a lead force on tenant harassment protections and affordable housing issues.”Mr. McKeown’s agenda seems to be that of keeping his below-market rent apartment, as well as those of the group that support him. It is not surprising that he will pursue an endorsement from SMRR, which includes other rent control abusers.
How is it that a city councilman who benefits from the privilege of a rent control apartment, endorsed by and voted by renters, can hold a position of decision-making regarding affordable housing?
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on August 7, 2006. Read the original PDF.