[tenac] California Tenants Show What We Can Use in D.C. to Protect Tenants Rights Further

 

Dear Tenants and Friends,      Below is an email-newsletter from the California rights group, the Coalition for Economic Survival.  It tells not just the victory tenants in California have achieved on eviction rights, but shows some greater protections California tenants have we in the District of Columbia lack.  Armed with such knowledge, we urge tenants to approach our city council to lobby for similar improvements. One glaring discrepancy is the $14,000 in relocation assistance California tenants recieve who must relocate, as opposed to the pittance of $150 per habitable room (excluding kitchen, bathrooms, etc.) that tenants get for relocation assistance in DC. Please forward this email as far and wide as possible. Their website is:http://www.CESinAction.org    Coalition for Economic Survival (CES) TENANTS' RIGHTS ALERT!!! Tenants Win Major Victories at LA City Hall New Evictions Protections Secured in Cases of "Good Faith"  & Foreclosure Evictions   CES Members join other tenants &                                   TENANTS WIN MAJOR VICTORIES organizers in support of increased tenant eviction protections While a hard rain fell on Los Angeles on December 18, the sun was shining on tenants' rights inside LA City Hall. The Los Angeles City Council unanimously voted on two separate measure that both provide tenants more eviction protections. One measure will significantly close a loophole regarding evictions for "Good Faith," such as for owner move-ins and for moving in an owner's family member. This has been an area of extreme abuse and fraud resulting in many unjust evictions. And while the City Council did decide to reduce relocation assistance in very limited case in properties of 4 units or less, the increased tenant protections won will have a more far reaching impact on providing many more tenants with additional needed protections. The LA Housing Department did a good job in responding to the Council's direction and constructing a proposal that minimizes the adverse impact, while expanding on tenant protections. In addition, while seeing any tenant relocation assistance reduction, even in this limited way is hard to except, we were successful in increasing the relocation reduction by $3,100 for "qualified" tenants which are seniors, disabled and low-income families. This amount will now be $14,000 instead of the proposed $10,900. Special acknowledgment goes to Council Members Bill Rosendahl and Ed Reyes who valiantly fought to keep the relocation level at $17,600, and to Council President Eric Garcetti who proposed the compromise of the $3,100 increased relocation amounts in effort to successfully ensure the important tenant protections were secured. NEW LAW TO PROTECT TENANTS LIVING IN FORECLOSED RENT PROPERTIES In addition, the Los Angeles City Council passed an ordinance that places a one-year moratorium on banks evicting tenants for all rental properties throughout the City of LA. The law, proposed by City Council President Eric Garcetti, extends rent control just cause eviction protections to all rentals, including single family dwellings. Los Angeles, as many cities across the nation, has seen an explosion of evictions of tenants living in rental buildings The foreclosure crisis and its impact on hardworking Americans is a national disgrace. It's especially taxing on the forgotten victims -- tenants. They've done nothing wrong. Paid their rent on time. But, suddenly banks are evicting them due to their misfortune of living in foreclosed rental property.   Banks don't want to be landlords or collect rent, they just want the tenants out. Yet, these banks had no problem begging Congress for a $700 billion bailout.  A bailout paid for by these tenants and other taxpayers. In return, banks should not be evicting the people who are paying their corporate welfare. The new law will clear the confusion for tenants as to their rights by setting one rule for all. It provides tenants a little bit of hope and justice. See TV News Coverage of the Foreclosure Eviction Victory CLICK HERE ================== If you are not yet on CES' Email Mailing List, Click on the Button Below and Sign On ================== COALITION for ECONOMIC SURVIVAL  (CES) 514 Shatto Place, Suite 270  Los Angeles, CA 90020 Tel: 213-252-4411  Fax: 213-252-4422 Email: contactces@earthlink.net Web site: www.CESinAction.org ================ You Can Join or Donate to CES Online by Clicking the Donate Now Button Below   Or You Can Print the Membership Form & Mail It In With Your Dues By Clicking on JOIN C.E.S. Changes to the Rent Stabilization Ordinance Good Faith Eviction Requirements adopted by the LA City Council Reduce relocation payments in good faith evictions for owner/family occupancy  (Eligible Tenant:  $7,000, Qualified. Tenant:  $14,000)   ·    Owner owns no more than a single family home and/or any combination of multiple units adding up to four units ·    Subject property is 4 units or less ·    Only one reduced relocation per property every three years NEW TENANT PROTECTIONS WON ·    Restrict good faith evictions to owners with 25% ownership for owner occupancy evictions and 50% for family occupancy evictions ·    Prohibit good faith evictions of tenants who are at least 62 years old or disabled and lived in unit for at least 10 yrs.; also prohibit good faith evictions of tenants who are terminally ill. ·    Permit good faith evictions for occupancy of eligible owner's grandparents or grandchildren. ·    Require good faith intent to move in to the unit within three months of tenant's vacation and to reside in unit for at least 24 months. ·    Provide right of first refusal to evicted tenant if unit returned to rental market prior to 24 months. ·    Permit good faith eviction only of the most recent tenant to occupy a unit with the number of bedrooms required by the landlord except where otherwise required by medical necessity. ·    Civil liability of treble damages with attorneys fees and costs for failure to act in good faith ·    Restrict good faith evictions to natural persons and beneficiaries of trusts ·    Require owner or family member to occupy unit as their primary place of residence ·    Prohibit owner/family eviction if already an available and vacant comparable unit ·    Require owner to file a certificate of re-rental with LAHD prior to re-rental Implement monitoring and enforcement program ·    Require filing of declaration with LAHD of occupancy of subject unit within three months of tenant eviction ·    Require filing of declaration with LAHD on the first and second anniversary of unit occupancy ·    Penalty for non-compliance ·    Administrative fee of $75 for monitoring of good faith evictions

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