Beverly Hills renters and landlords getting closer to a rent stabilization ordinance

The Beverly Hills City Council approved a 3 percent increase to monthly retainer fees, and to establish an hourly rate, for legal services related to the administration of its rent control program at its Aug. 22 meeting.

Councilman Les Friedman said the amendment is “just a placeholder” for legal services provided by Richards, Watson and Gershon. The city’s rent control is currently regulated by an emergency ordinance passed earlier this year, as city officials, landlords and renters try to reach a consensus on long-term regulations.

The emergency ordinance, approved by the council in January, limited annual rent increases to 3 percent, compared to the previous 10 percent. It was the result of tenants complaining of being priced out of their units, and receiving no-cause evictions – in which tenants on month-to-month leases receive 60-day notices to leave their units. Amendments made to the emergency ordinance in February required landlords to pay relocation fees of up to $12,394 – depending on the size of the apartment, and potentially more if there are senior citizen, disabled or minor occupants – to no-cause evicted tenants.

The city hired Sukhsimranjit Singh, associate director of the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution at Pepperdine, to hold mediation sessions between renters and landlords to help craft a long-term ordinance. During a mediation session last month, Singh said he tentatively planned on updating the council on his progress during its Aug. 8 meeting. But that progress report has been postponed to the council’s Sept. 5 meeting as he makes further progress with both sides.

Fred Sutton, of the Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles, urged council to wait for mediation sessions to make further progress before committing more resources to the current regulations.

“We do think there is better use of city funds,” he said.

Mayor Lili Bosse reiterated that the City Council will do its due diligence.

“This council wants this to be a fair process, and we will take the time required to get it right,” she said.

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