through a six-hour hearing with a hearing officer and Douglas Emmett officials. The Bisnos lost that hearing in an Aug. 1 ruling.
Even if an appeal has been filed, victorious landlords can raise the rent during the process. But before the higher rent can be charged, landlords must give a 30-or 60-day notice. The 60-day notice is required when the increase is more than 10 percent over what tenants already pay, according to rent control law.
Allan Golad, director of property management for Douglas Emmett, said the Bisnos were given a 60-day notice shortly after the ruling and their rent will be increased this month.
The rationale behind the new law was that rent control is intended to protect full-time residents by stabilizing their living expenses, but wasn’t intended to subsidize the lifestyles of part-timers who don’t need the protection. Some opponents, however, worry that the supply of affordable units under rent control will dry up if rents continue to be taken to market levels.
When the housing law, called “3304,” first came out in March, tenants gathered together with concerns that landlords would be overly aggressive in who they targeted. Those concerns gave way to worries that aggressive “big brother” tactics would be employed by landlords, who in some cases checked refrigerators for expired food items and reviewed security cameras to see if tenants were actually living in their units.
But recently, Golad said confusion over 3304 has quieted down.
“There hasn’t been any further outcry from the tenants one way or the other,” Golad said, adding that nearly all of the residents at the 532-unit Shores who will be pursued for rent hikes have already been notified. “Things have been really quiet. When it was new and everyone was unsure what was going on — all that has kind of died down.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on October 2, 2003. Read the original PDF.