March, 2003
By Gordon P. Gitlen, Esq., Action President

Our February meeting was again well attended. Our guest speaker Jeff Cronrod, of Rent Recovery Services, the largest landlord collection service in the country, was informative and well received, along with the other speakers, Tom Nitti and Rosario Perry, who presented the membership with legal updates. Recent local activity by the Rent Control Board was addressed as well. The Santa Monica Rent Control Board recently passed Regulation 3304, which would allow for a rent increase if the tenant is not using the controlled residential rental premises as his principle place of residence. The regulation provides, subject to a hearing in front of the Santa Monica Rent Control Board, that rents can be raised to market level. Of course, there are many exceptions that would prevent the increase in rents, but the Rent Control Board has announced a commitment to eliminating the use of controlled residential rental units for tenants that are on permanent vacation. The Board's intention is to pass a local regulation to avoid state legislation in this area. At least the Board recognizes that there are tenants taking improper advantage of their mandate!

Also in the last month, at least one Court determined that if a unit is not rented, then you do not have to pay a registration fee to the Rent Control Board. The Small Claims Court Ruling is not binding on other courts, but this Court reasoned that Rent Control jurisdiction is limited to controlled residential rental units, not those units that are not rented. There is no benefit or detriment to a landlord or tenant and there is no administrative agency work entitling the Board to a fee for units that are not rented.

I have received complimentary feedback regarding our meetings as well as our new meeting location, the Roosevelt Elementary School Auditorium. There is plenty of room for parking as well as for attendance. Our most recent presentations (generally the first Monday of every month) have focused on property owner awareness of the new laws and regulations. New forms are available from the ACTION office, which you must use.

Finally, in light of the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster, we must constantly reassess our personal worth. While we would all like to believe that we are the center of our own universe, the stark reality is that we are on a limited journey called life. Earth when viewed from space is a speck of dust and water which is magically and mysteriously molded in a space time continuum. In the words of Deepak Chopra, every human being is part of one people, one life, one consciousness. The totality of nationalism and patriotism divides us in troubled times, yet viewed from the astronauts' window on board the Columbia, we are warring over imagined differences for boundaries that we pretend exist. Every space shuttle crashes to a wounded and mutilated Earth, even when it lands successfully. Thank you, Deepak Chopra. We, at ACTION, however, remain committed to preserving property owners' rights now and for future Americans even in Santa Monica.