1) They have all been at the forefront of the fight to destroy rent control and undermine tenants' rights. These groups have supported new luxury housing development at the expense of existing affordable housing resulting in the displacement of long term, low rent working family, disabled and senior renters.
A N D .............
2) They all support Wendy Greuel for Mayor!
Where Do They Stand?
WENDY GREUEL
From 2001 to 2007 Los Angeles lost nearly 15,000 of rent controlled units due to condominium conversions and housing demolitions to for the purpose of building new condos. Wendy Greuel represented City Council District 2 in the San Fernando Valley at that time. During those years, Council District 2 ranked among the top Council Districts citywide in the number of rent controlled units lost. Unfortunately, Ms. Greuel took no action to stem the tide of destruction as thousands of her constituents were displaced from their homes and communities.
|
Vacant Sherman Oaks Lot Where Rent Control Housing Was Demolished in Greuel's District
|
Based on recommendations in a LA Controller Wendy Greuel December 2012 audit, Greuel wants to move the City's effective and award-winning housing code enforcement out of the LA Housing Department (LAHD) and into the troubled Department of Building and Safety (LADBS) -- even though her own audit shows numerous problems with the Department of Building and Safety. This move would be disastrous for tenants and for ensuring safe and decent housing for residents of the city. Landlord groups, who have consistently attacked the Housing Department's code enforcement program, would, no doubt, applaud the move.
Ms. Greuel is receiving significant support from developers who are currently attempting to destroy rent controlled affordable housing throughout the city. The support these developers could get under a Greuel administration should worry tenants across the city. Some examples are:
| Save Wyvernwood Apartments! |
The Miami-based Fifteen Group developers who are attempting to demolish the second largest rent control complex in Los Angeles is backing Ms. Greuel. The mainly low income Latino families living in the 1200 unit Wyvernwood Apartments in Boyle Height are at risk of displacement. Fifteen Group wants to build 44,000 units of mostly luxury housing, a project larger than Park LaBrea, thus families that have lived there for generations could lose their homes and pushed out of their long time community.
CES recently filed a complaint with the LA Ethics Commission based on the possibility of a developer providing illegal contributions to the Wendy Greuel mayoral campaign. CES wants the Ethics Commission to investigate $11,150 in donations made by the developer, members of his family and an employee to determine whether these contributions might be laundered by the developer in violation of the city's campaign finance laws. CES had organized tenants in a 104-unit Sherman Oaks apartment complex who successfully stopped numerous attempts by this developer to convert the building into high priced condominiums, but he continues to seek the a way to get his conversions approved.
ERIC GARCETTI
Eric Garcetti, on the other hand, has a long record of introducing motions to protect tenants and affordable housing, which have become laws. His actions include:
* Spearheaded the creation of the nation's largest affordable housing trust fund.
* Authored the law to prevent the demolition of housing without the construction of replacement housing.
* Authored the law to prevent landlords from unilaterally changing tenants terms of tenancy or rules or apartment rules, thus giving landlords the ability to unjustly evict tenants.
* Put forth the Foreclosure Eviction Ordinance, which protect tenants living in rental properties not subject to the City's Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RSO) from eviction on the grounds of foreclosure. This was nation's first tenant foreclosure eviction protection law.
* Voted to cut Systematic Code Enforcement Program (SCEP) fees in half and have landlords pay their fair share.
* Authored the City resolution against the 2008 statewide measure Proposition 98, which would have wiped out rent control and tenants' rights protection law in the city and throughout the state. He participated in a news conference with CES and Mayor Villaraigosa to warn voters of this dangerous ballot measure.
* Provided CES important support in our efforts to protect Section 8 tenants from being evicted in Echo Park, which is in his district. A landlord challenged the city's right to extend rent control to a HUD subsidized complexes to opt out of the federal program. The U.S. 9th District Court of Appeals eventually upheld the city's right and tenants continue to be protected.
Now it is up to you, the voter,
to decide on Tuesday, May 21.
Your Home May Depend on the Outcome.
|