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The Glendale City Council voted 3-1 early Wednesday after a marathon meeting to cap rent increases at 5 percent for a two-month period, according to a city statement.
The rent freeze was adopted while the city studies a possible ordinance mandating tenants get one-year leases and other possible tenant protections.
However, the council stopped short of considering a plan to make Glendale the 16th city in the state adopting rent control.
The freeze will be in effect from Dec. 27 through Feb. 27, according to the statement. During that time, apartment landlords must charge no more than 5 percent above Sept. 18 rent levels.
Under the temporary rent freeze, a $200 a month rent hike for an apartment renting for $1,000 a month on Sept. 18 must be reduced to $50 during the freeze period — that is, the Sept. 18 base rent plus 5 percent.
The council also directed staff to draft a so-called “right-to-lease” ordinance. Provisions would include a requirement that landlords offer tenants one-year leases; a requirement tenants get non-binding hearings for rent increases over a set percentage, yet to be determined; and a requirement tenants get relocation assistance when rent hikes exceed a specified percentage.
The proposed new ordinance should be ready for council consideration by early February.
The council vote comes after a citizen petition drive to put rent control on the Nov. 6 ballot fell short. Glendale was one of nine California cities with rent control petition drives this year. Just 15 cities currently have rent control in the Golden State, and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors adopted a rent cap while studying permanent rent control for unincorporated areas.
A statement by the Glendale Tenants Union, which backed the rent-control drive, applauded the city council for recognizing Glendale has a housing affordability crisis. But the statement said the tenants union is “dismayed that the best they could come up with is right-to-lease” ordinance.
“Right-to-lease isn’t actually a solution to the immediate threat of displacement that tens of thousands face in this city,” the statement said. “We are going to keep advocating for rent stabilization.”
Glendale Mayor Zareh Sinanyan and Council members Vartan Gharpetian and Vrej Agajanian supported the temporary rent cap. Council member Paula Devine voted against it, and Council member Ara Najarian abstained due to a conflict of interest.
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