The committee, with a 3-2 decision, opted not to extend the existing freeze set to conclude on January 31, 2024.
Los Angeles City Councilmember Bob Blumenfield played a pivotal role in a recent committee vote regarding the pandemic-related rent increase freeze
They greenlit a proposal allowing slight rent hikes for properties falling under the 1979 Rent Stabilization Ordinance. Bob Blumenfield introduced an amendment to the extension proposal, partnering with Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martinez. This amendment calls for the city attorney, in collaboration with the Housing Department, to draft an ordinance temporarily regulating rent increases for controlled units from February 1 to June 30, 2024. Bob Blumenfield emphasized the legal aspects of extending the freeze, expressing concerns about fairness and practicality.
Soto-Martinez‘s initial motion aimed to prevent landlords from raising prices between February 1 and June 30, 2024, by more than 7%, with additional allowances for gas and electricity services.
Bob Blumenfield’s amendment, while ending the freeze, limits permissible increases for controlled units during the same period to 4%
To calculate these increases, the city’s rent control law will employ the consumer price index from October 2022 to September 2023, deviating from the previous year’s calculation. Bob Blumenfield defended this adjustment, explaining that it resulted in a 4% increase instead of the original 7%.
Bob Blumenfield acknowledged the complexity of the situation, expressing sympathy for both sides. He stressed the need for a compromise to move forward, emphasizing that inaction could lead to a potential 7% rent hike, while council intervention might maintain the freeze at zero, presenting risks for all parties involved.
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