After trying and failing twice before, a coalition of housing advocates led by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation have collected enough signatures to place a measure on the 2024 ballot asking voters to repeal a major restriction on rent control, in effect allowing more cities and counties across the state to cap rents on more types of homes.
California Secretary of State Shirley Weber’s office announced Wednesday that the initiative has qualified for the November 2024 ballot after its proponents submitted more than 800,000 signatures and enough were certified as valid.
In a news conference Thursday, backers of the Justice for Renters Initiative said the changes would give Californians living on the edge an ability to hold on to their housing as wages lag behind increases in rent across the state. Supporters said that many people are one rent increase away from homelessness and that the initiative would give cities and counties more tools to prevent tenants from being displaced.
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“Many of our members are the working poor,” said Ada Briceno, co-president of Unite Here Local 11, who noted that her union members are on the picket lines right now for the same reasons that the ballot initiative is necessary.
“They live paycheck to paycheck. They’re couch surfing. They’re living in their cars and struggling to pay rent,” she said. “Many of them have been pushed out of their communities and now have long hours of commute.”
Some of the initiative’s supporters include the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles and the California Nurses Assn., along with Housing Is a Human Right, the housing advocacy division of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation.
If the initiative succeeds, it would repeal the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act, a state law that prohibits rent control from being placed by cities and counties on single-family homes and apartments built after 1995, among other prohibitions. The measure would also specify that the “state may not limit the right of cities and counties to maintain, enact, or expand rent control. However, the state still could set some minimum protections for renters, like the current statewide limit on rent increases,” according to a summary from the Legislative Analyst’s Office.
Cities including Los Angeles and San Francisco, among others, already have limits in place for whether rent can be raised on a yearly basis, if at all. The state has also passed regulations in recent years that limit rent hikes to either 5% plus yearly inflation or 10%, whichever is lower.
In recent years, smaller municipalities have also begun instituting their own rent control ordinances.
In 2018 and 2020, the same groups backed efforts to pass similar ballot measures. In both instances, nearly all of the funding for the initiative came from the Los Angeles nonprofit AIDS Healthcare Foundation, which put about $60 million into the losing efforts. Both efforts to repeal the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act lost by nearly 20 percentage points in 2018 and 2020 after $100-million-plus campaigns in which landlord groups outspent supporters of the initiative by more than 2 to 1.
One of the biggest opponents of the last two efforts was the California Apartment Assn., which is gearing up to oppose this latest proposition as well.
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If this measure passes, “landlords lose any hope of ever charging fair market value for their investment,” Tom Bannon, the association’s chief executive, said this year when supporters began collecting signatures. “There is little incentive to keep the unit on the market, let alone invest in improvements.”
Michael Weinstein, president of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, and others said this time will be different because the situation is so much more dire.
“Renter protection legislation goes to Sacramento to die, and we have no hope of getting it through the Legislature,” he said. “The main reason why we have a better chance now is that the situation has gotten so extreme. Rates of homelessness are going up. Where are people going to live? The population of California is shrinking, and the California dream is dying.”
Around the time of the first ballot initiative, the foundation — best known as a behemoth in the healthcare industry, with more than $2 billion in annual revenue earned largely from its chain of pharmacies and clinics — began purchasing single-room-occupancy hotels and other apartment complexes in Skid Row and other parts of Los Angeles. Its goal has been to provide homes to low-income residents more quickly, cheaply and humanely than private developers, public agencies and other nonprofits.
Some of these buildings, The Times found, have been plagued by problems, including substandard conditions and faulty elevators, which led several residents to sue. The foundation settled a lawsuit about an elevator at one building for more than $800,000, but other class-action lawsuits alleging overall uninhabitable conditions at two buildings remain pending.
Elliot Hoyte hosts our first 30 Under 30 Honoree interview of 2023 with Kelly Carlson. Kelly has seen massive success in Chicago’s competitive real estate markets since starting her career. On today’s podcast, she discusses her strategy for focusing on first-time home buyers and shares how she gets deals to the finish line. Kelly and Elliot also offer tips for new real estate agents and talk about the value of mentorship early in an agent’s career.
Listen to today’s show and learn:
Chicago’s 30 Under 30 honorees [2:17]
NAR’s 30 Under 30 [3:25]
Kelly Carlson’s application to NAR’s 30 Under 30 [4:01]
Giving back to the community [5:46]
From engineering to a career in real estate [7:47]
Chicago real estate markets [11:56]
Where Kelly got her first few deals [16:22]
Adding value to potential clients [20:10]
Working with first-time home buyers [22:52]
Setting expectations with buyer clients [26:10]
The Danish concept of hygge and how it applies to real estate [27:14]
The differences between neighborhoods in Chicago [29:30]
Covering different neighborhoods in a diverse market [31:45]
Kelly’s sales as a new real estate agent [32:33]
The value of a quality brokerage and mentorship [35:50]
Kelly’s advice for new real estate agents [42:00]
Where to find and follow Kelly Carlson [44:04]
Kelly Carlson
Creating a home is such an important aspect of life. Kelly thinks back to some of her favorite memories, and they all tie back to where she was living at the time – her childhood home on Prospect Avenue, her studio apartment in the Gold Coast, or moving in with her husband to their condo. Kelly’s passion for helping others to find their perfect home is what drives her to advocate for them during every step of the home buying and selling process.
Kelly brings a unique background to her residential clients. After graduating from the University of Illinois with an engineering degree, Kelly worked for a Big Four firm as an associate in a real estate and construction tax consulting group. She loved client services but realized she wanted to work more directly on the development side. In 2018, Kelly left to join a boutique consulting firm where she was a project manager responsible for design and construction projects for healthcare and large not-for-profit institutions. There, Kelly developed a strong understanding of the design and construction process. Her experience has taught her the importance of working hard, putting clients first, and always remembering the bigger picture.
Kelly is passionate about cultivating meaningful relationships and helping others, and it is something she strives for in her everyday encounters. Kelly joined Engel & Völkers Chicago because it is a community of professional advisors who share a similar mindset. The company culture is genuine and collaborative, not competitive or “salesy.” Moreover, she was offered an opportunity to be mentored by a top broker, an experience that has helped her jumpstart her career in residential sales.
Kelly loves that Engel & Völkers is a global brand. She studied abroad in Stockholm, Sweden, and Copenhagen, Denmark. It was there that she became enamored with the Scandinavian concept of Hygge, which embodies a feeling of contentment that comes from being around good company in a cozy setting, such as home! Kelly’s favorite place in the world (besides home) is South Africa – specifically, Babylonstoren. She even had the opportunity to visit their Engel & Völkers Shop in Cape Town during that trip!
From a young age, Kelly was drawn to the hustle and bustle of downtown, as well as the city’s beautiful architecture. She grew up in Clarendon Hills, a short train ride from the city. The time Kelly spent downtown as a child sparked her love for the built world, and real estate in particular. Since graduating from college, Kelly has lived in Lincoln Park, the Gold Coast, and now River North, a perfect location to take advantage of all that city living has to offer – art, music, dining, and world-class architecture. One of her favorite things to do is to turn on a podcast and explore the city on foot, marveling at the historic buildings.
When Kelly is not working, she is a member of the Associate’s Board for Sarah’s Circle, a local nonprofit with a mission of serving women who are experiencing homelessness or in need of a safe space. She also enjoys a good sweat, whether that’s running, cycling, or yoga. In fact, most of her client events take place at boutique fitness studios. On most weekends, Kelly can be found walking the Riverwalk at Montgomery Ward Park with her husband, Brian, their dog Pax, and a good cup of coffee.
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It might go without saying, but I’m going to say it anyway: We really value listeners like you. We’re constantly working to improve the show, so why not leave us a review? If you love the content and can’t stand the thought of missing the nuggets our Rockstar guests share every week, please subscribe; it’ll get you instant access to our latest episodes and is the best way to support your favorite real estate podcast. Have questions? Suggestions? Want to say hi? Shoot me a message via Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, or Email.
Over 10 million Americans are behind on rent due to the effects of COVID-19. The relief bill passed in late December extends benefits and protections to Americans hard-hit by the pandemic, including $25 billion in rental assistance funds.
Designed to help Americans who are struggling to afford rent and are at risk of homelessness, rental assistance funds are available for those who have lost income as a result of the pandemic and meet certain maximum income thresholds. Funds could cover up to twelve months of rent and utilities for those who qualify, plus an additional three months if funds are available.
What’s Ahead:
How to determine if you qualify for rental assistance
In order to qualify for rental assistance, you need to demonstrate that the pandemic has adversely affected you or your household. If a member of your household qualifies for unemployment or has otherwise lost their source of income, you may qualify.
Applicants also need to show that they’re at risk of becoming homeless by demonstrating past due rent or utility bills. Your household must make under 80% of the median income in your area in order to qualify, and funds will be prioritized for applicants making under 50% of the median income.
Your income can refer either to your total household income for 2020, or your monthly household income when you apply. If the assistance is based on your monthly income, you’ll need to document your income eligibility every three months.
How to apply for rental assistance
How you should apply for rental assistance depends on where you live. Different states and cities have different application processes, and many partner with existing organizations or charities in order to effectively distribute funds.
You can look up COVID-19 emergency rental assistance programs in your area using the National Low Income Housing Coalition’s rental assistance tool. If you’re having trouble finding a program, you can get in touch with your representatives, your state’s housing department, or local housing groups in order to get help.
Applications can be submitted by eligible individuals or by their landlords. If your application is accepted, funds will generally be paid directly to your landlord and service providers. You can reapply for additional assistance if necessary.
How much you could receive
Eligible applicants can receive as much as up to 12 months of assistance, plus an additional three months if funds are still available.
Payment for past-due rent that could result in an eviction is prioritized. This means that, while the actual funding amount depends on how much your rent and utility bills are, funding is designed to cover up to a year of rent and related expenses for Americans impacted by the pandemic.
What to do if you’re facing eviction
If you’re facing eviction, you should apply for relief funds as soon as you can. You should also fill out an Eviction Declaration Form and give it to your landlord in order to qualify for the extended eviction moratorium. The moratorium has been extended by President Biden until at least the end of March via executive order.
Individual states and cities may also have additional orders in place to protect renters against eviction. If your landlord refuses to comply with the eviction moratorium, you can get legal help.
What to do if you don’t qualify
Even if you don’t qualify for rental assistance, you could still be eligible for other pandemic relief programs. These include stimulus checks and expanded unemployment benefits.
Stimulus checks
Otherwise known as Economic Impact Payments, stimulus checks are available for Americans who meet certain maximum impact requirements. In addition to the $1,200 payments passed in the spring, many Americans are now eligible to receive an additional $600 thanks to the bill passed in December. You may qualify if your income is under $75,000 for individuals and under $150,000 for households. Parents and guardians can also receive $600 for each eligible child.
As part of President Biden’s proposed new stimulus package, Americans may also be eligible for an additional $1,400 check if the bill passes. This check, along with the previous $600 check, is designed to add up to a total of $2,000. However, the amount of this third check isn’t yet set in stone, and it may end up being higher or lower than $1,400 if the bill passes.
Unemployment benefits
The December relief bill also extended unemployment benefits after a gap in coverage. These benefits include an additional $300 per week on top of regular unemployment benefits, extending up to March 14th. The benefit is available for workers who earn at least $1 in state unemployment benefits.
Pandemic Unemployment Assistance for freelancers and self-employed individuals is also extended until March 14th. A new unemployment benefit for workers called the Mixed Earners Unemployment Compensation program, adds $100 to unemployment benefits for workers who are both traditionally employed and self-employed if they earn at least $5,000 in self-employment income per year and are already receiving Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation.
Eviction moratorium
President Biden has extended the eviction moratorium until the end of March via executive order, and has also encouraged Congress to further extend it until September as part of the new stimulus bill. States and local governments have also issued their own eviction moratoriums. If you’re evicted for a reason other than failure to pay rent due to the pandemic, or are otherwise struggling to find housing, there are a variety of shelters and housing organizations that can provide temporary housing.
Other aid sources
If you’re struggling because of the pandemic, there are a variety of other local aid sources you should take advantage of it. These include:
Self Employment Assistance for individuals looking to start their own business after becoming unemployed.
U.S. Department of Labor employment or training programs.
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) for current or expecting parents.
SNAP benefits.
Food banks like Feeding America and No Kid Hungry.
Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children.
The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program.
Local 211 COVID-19 resources.
State resources for housing, food, and legal assistance.
Additional rental assistance on the horizon
According to Moody’s Analytics, Americans behind on rent owe a total of $57 billion in rent, utilities, and late fees. This means that the initial $25 billion designated for rental assistance in December likely won’t be enough.
President Biden has called for $30 billion in rental assistance as part of the latest stimulus package on the table. While this bill hasn’t yet passed, it could provide additional relief for Americans struggling to make rent each month.
Summary
If you’re behind on rent payments and worried about eviction, the latest round of COVID-19 rental assistance can help. If you meet certain eligibility requirements, you may be able to receive funds that cover up to twelve months of rental expenses, plus an additional three months if there are enough funds left over.
If you don’t qualify for rental assistance but are still struggling, there are other resources available to help. President Biden’s proposed economic rescue package could also provide additional assistance for Americans hard-hit by the pandemic.
“Hell, no, we won’t go!” The spirited chant sounded familiar, although it had been 51 years since I last shouted it alongside other demonstrators.
This time, instead of protesting the Vietnam War at UC Berkeley’s Sproul Plaza, I stood with 25 other impassioned tenants on a corner of Wilshire Boulevard in West Los Angeles, in front of Barrington Plaza — the apartment complex from which we are being unlawfully evicted.
My motivations for participating in both were altruistic and self-serving. I opposed the war in Vietnam on moral grounds, appalled by the unnecessary devastation, but I also did not want to join the thousands of Americans who had already perished in it.
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I’m helping to organize the tenants’ resistance to the eviction to preserve my own home, but I’m equally motivated to protect our community, especially my fellow boomers, some of whom suffer from dementia, diabetes or cancer.
The multibillion-dollar corporate landlord and developer, Douglas Emmett, decided to evict all the largely working-class tenants from their 577 occupied units in one of the biggest rent-stabilized buildings on Los Angeles’ pricey Westside. The company says it intends to retrofit the fire sprinkler system, following dangerous fires in 2013 and 2020, and make other needed repairs. Yet if it requires units to be vacant to do the work, the city requires the filing of a Tenant Habitability Plan, under which tenants should be temporarily relocated, not evicted.
Emmett is also claiming the Ellis Act as justification for the mass eviction. Passed in 1985, this California law was created to allow landlords to evict tenants from rent-controlled units that they plan to take off the rental market. But the company won’t commit to removing Barrington Plaza from the rental market when the renovations are complete, and they may gentrify and then re-rent the units at inflated market prices.
Another inescapable irony: Barrington’s eviction announcement came on May 8, the same date in 1959 that Los Angeles officials used eminent domain and other political machinations to bulldoze Chavez Ravine and destroy the homes of that vibrant, historic Mexican American community to make way for Dodger Stadium. If the Barrington evictions go through, they’ll join Chavez Ravine as among the largest evictions in the city’s history.
While I watched L.A.’s rush-hour traffic crawl by our tenant protest, many of the vehicles honking in support of our ragtag crew carrying signs and joined by our dogs, I reflected that this time the power we were fighting was not the military-industrial complex, but “Big Development” and corporate greed. Emmett donated $400,000 to the campaign of the current City Council member for Barrington Plaza’s district.
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The wonderfully inclusive, intergenerational, international community at Barrington represents the best of L.A., with a wide range of jobs and backgrounds. Tenants I’ve spoken with since we received notice include an Uber Eats driver, a waitress at El Pollo Loco, a professional dog walker, a Beverly Hills hairstylist and others who service our more affluent Westside neighbors.
Many of us, myself included because of the current writers’ strike, are on some form of government assistance. Others, even more vulnerable, are still financially recovering from the COVID pandemic and struggling with child-care costs; or are elderly and disabled, depending on nearby loved ones for trips to go shopping or attend medical appointments.
One tenant I spoke with has suffered with PTSD from rape and attempted murder. She previously lived in her car. For her, the very real possibility of losing her apartment triggers sleepless nights along with anxiety, depression and panic. Another tenant has worked for the county assisting homeless people in South Central for 20 years. Now she could be relocated to the same neighborhood where she spends her days helping those who live in makeshift tents on the street.
We are facing either imminent relocation to a distant part of the city, a premature placement in an extended care facility — or homelessness.
This tragedy is not just about us. At stake is the fate of an entire city where more than 75,000 people are homeless on any given night. If Emmett’s mass eviction is allowed to stand, it will displace hundreds of us, set a devastating precedent for rent-stabilized housing in Los Ange les and unleash a catastrophic burden on our already strained social services.
Our Barrington Plaza Tenant Assn. is working with the Coalition for Economic Survival to fight our eviction, and we’ve created a GoFundMe page to collect donations. It will take all of us to stop Douglas Emmett’s unlawful use of the Ellis Act.
A lot has changed since I was a 20-year-old, long-haired activist who chanted, “Hell, no, we won’t go!” at a Vietnam War rally. But the stakes for this community are just as high now.
Robert Lawrence is a producer whose films include “Clueless,” “Die Hard with a Vengeance,” “Rapid Fire” and “Rock Star.”
It’s true that power is a slippery commodity, hard to measure precisely, because it comes in so many different forms. That makes identifying the most influential individuals in the world a daunting task. Metrics and standards can range from political to economic, cultural, or social influence. Nevertheless, we have compiled a list of some individuals who are widely considered to be among the most powerful people in the world.
1. Mohammed Bin Salman
Mohammed bin Salman, also known as MBS, is the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia and has been a key player in the Middle East in recent years. He became the country’s defense minister in 2015 and has since led efforts to modernize and diversify the Saudi economy, as well as promote social liberalization. MBS has been responsible for implementing economic initiatives such as the “Vision 2030” plan, aimed at reducing the country’s dependence on oil. However, he has faced criticism for his handling of certain issues, such as the conflict in Yemen and his alleged involvement in the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Despite these controversies, MBS remains a powerful figure in Saudi Arabia and the region; and his leadership shapes the future of the country and the wider Middle East.
2. Pope Francis
Pope Francis, also known as Jorge Mario Bergoglio, is the leader of the Vatican City State and the Leader of the Catholic Church. He was elected as the 266th Pope in March 2013 and is renowned for his liberal perspectives on social problems like immigration, poverty, and climate change. Pope Francis has stressed the significance of supporting interfaith discourse, assisting the poor and marginalized, and addressing the problem of sexual abuse within the Catholic Church. Additionally, he has been a strong supporter of natural preservation and has traveled to several nations on historic occasions as a pope. He continues to enjoy widespread regard and influence both inside the Church and internationally, despite criticism from some conservative Church factions.
3. Mark Zuckerberg
Mark Zuckerberg, a renowned American entrepreneur and the co-founder of Facebook, has been at the helm of the company’s meteoric rise into a multi-billion dollar platform with billions of users worldwide. Despite being acknowledged as one of the most influential people globally, Zuckerberg has also faced criticism for his involvement in various controversies, including the infamous Cambridge Analytica scandal. In recent years, he has dedicated himself to philanthropic endeavors through the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, which seeks to advance human potential and foster equality.
4. Bill Gates
Bill Gates, an American entrepreneur and philanthropist, co-founded Microsoft, one of the world’s largest software companies with his childhood friend, Paul Allen, in 1975. As CEO of Microsoft he played a vital role in shaping the personal computer industry, which made him one of the wealthiest people globally. However, Gates has since shifted his focus to philanthropy through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which is among the world’s largest philanthropic organizations that support global health, education, and climate change initiatives. Gates has received numerous awards for his philanthropic work and is recognized as one of the world’s most influential people. Despite his success, he has faced criticism for his business practices and views on intellectual property rights and technology’s role in society. Nevertheless, his impact on the technology industry and philanthropic efforts have established him as one of the most significant figures of the modern era.
5. Elon Musk
Elon Musk, an entrepreneur born in South Africa and based in the United States, has played a pivotal role in a number of cutting-edge companies, including PayPal, Tesla, SpaceX, Neuralink, Twitter, and the Boring Company. By spearheading these ventures, Musk has spurred transformative advances in areas such as transportation, space exploration, social media, and renewable energy. Though he has faced criticism for his management style and controversial social media commentary, Musk’s forward-thinking mindset has earned him recognition as one of the most influential figures in the world. Along with his dedication to technology and innovation, Musk has demonstrated a commitment to philanthropy by contributing to charitable initiatives, such as COVID-19 relief efforts and renewable energy research. As the most followed individual on Twitter, Musk’s funny yet controversial comments have garnered widespread attention. Nevertheless, his steadfast focus on building a sustainable future remains unwavering.
6. Jeff Bezos
Jeff Bezos is an American entrepreneur and founder of Amazon, the world’s largest online retailer. He has expanded Amazon’s offerings beyond books to include a vast range of products and services. Bezos also founded Blue Origin, a space exploration company, and owns The Washington Post. Despite his success, Bezos has faced criticism for Amazon’s impact on workers, competition, and the environment. In 2021, he stepped down as Amazon’s CEO but remains involved with the company as its executive chairman. He has also engaged in philanthropic efforts, including the Bezos Day One Fund that supports education and homelessness initiatives.
7. Angela Merkel
Angela Merkel is a German politician who served as the Chancellor of Germany for 16 years, making her the longest-serving democratically elected head of government in the European Union. She is known for her pragmatic approach to governance and commitment to European integration and international cooperation. Merkel played a key role in shaping Germany’s response to the global financial crisis, the European migrant crisis, and the Covid19 pandemic. She has been recognized for her leadership on issues such as climate change and gender equality. She stepped down in 2021, leaving a significant legacy as a leader in Germany and the European Union.
8. Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Putin is a former intelligence officer and Russian politician who has served as the President of Russia twice, from 1999 to 2008; he took on the presidency again in 2012 and is still serving. He has also held the position of Prime Minister of Russia twice. Putin has been credited with stabilizing the Russian economy and expanding its global influence but criticized for his authoritarian style of governance, suppression of opposition, and handling of conflicts such as the Chechen war, annexation of Crimea, and currently the Ukrainian war. Putin is known for his strongman image, sports interest, and promotion of traditional Russian values, and remains a controversial figure both domestically and internationally.
9. Joe Biden
As the President of the United States, Joe Biden holds a position of significant global influence and is widely considered to be one of the most powerful people in the world. His decisions and policies have far-reaching implications not just for the United States, but for other nations as well. As the overseer of the world’s largest economy and military, He addresses pressing global issues such as climate change, trade, and international relations. Therefore, it is safe to say that Joe Biden’s actions and decisions have had and will continue to have a major impact on the course of world events as long as his president.
10. XiJinping
Xi Jinping is one of the most powerful men in the world, having consolidated his power and reshaped China’s political and economic landscape since becoming General Secretary of the Communist Party of China in 2012. He has centralized power and cracked down on corruption, while also taking a more assertive stance on the global stage with his “Chinese Dream” policy. His leadership style, emphasizing nationalism and loyalty to the Communist Party, has made him popular with many Chinese citizens but has raised concerns about human rights abuses and political repression. Despite these concerns, Xi’s power remains strong, with no sign of weakness since the Chinese Communist Party abolished term limits in 2018.
These individuals are just a few among the many who hold significant influence over the world today. Their actions and decisions shape politics, economics, culture, and society, and their impact will continue to be felt for years to come.
Who is one actress you can never stand watching, no matter their role? After polling the internet, these were the top-voted actresses that people couldn’t stand watching.
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We’ve all heard the famous adage that “no publicity is bad publicity,” and while it tends to be accurate, there are certainly exceptions. But what about those few stars who stay out of the limelight and get along without a hint of trouble?
These 7 Celebrities are Genuinely Good People
Have you ever known someone and thought you liked them—until you learned about their hobbies? Then you get to know them and then you’re like, “Wow, red flag.” Well, you’re not alone.
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Some celebrities definitely seem to enjoy the limelight and keep working to stay in the public eye. While others quickly move out of the spotlight. Many of these actors and actresses stepped out of the spotlight to live a more private life without constant media pressures.
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Librarian Miki Goral has lived in the massive Westside residential complex Barrington Plaza for more than three decades. She swims in the large heated pool nearly every day and, from her one-bedroom apartment on the 10th floor, she has a view of the ocean. The building is a 15-minute bus ride from her job at UCLA and it’s rent-controlled, allowing her to retain some certainty over housing costs even as rents in the neighborhood have skyrocketed.
Like many of the Plaza’s long-term tenants, Goral had planned to stay for many more years.
This month, she learned that she and each of the residents of the complex’s 577 occupied units were being evicted so that the owner could install fire sprinklers and other safety upgrades. Most were given four months to leave, though Goral and others who are at least 62 or disabled can take up to one year. But Goral can’t imagine leaving.
“I don’t want to move,” she said. “I’ve been here for 34 years. It’s my home.”
Three months after the end of pandemic-era protections limiting the ability of landlords to evict tenants,the owner of Barrington Plaza has initiated one of the largest mass evictions in L.A. in recent years, pushing hundreds of Westside tenants out of their homes at the same time that the city grapples with a housing crisis.
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Landlord Douglas Emmett Inc. says the move is necessary to install the sprinklers and other safety equipment in a complex with a history of dangerous fires. It has invoked the Ellis Act, which allows landlords to evict rent-stabilized tenants to remove units from the rental market.
Some tenants are already in the process of leaving, facing a significant jump in rent and the potential cruel irony that their own evictions — hundreds of Barrington residents dumped into the market at once — might drive up prices even more.
But Goral and others believe the company is improperly applying the law and that it can make the safety upgrades without permanently displacing them. They say they will fight to stay.
“In a period where we’re dealing with homelessness throughout the city and county, it’s a major issue that this company would suddenly put almost 600 people on the housing market to compete for housing,” Goral said. “It’s not a sensible thing to do.”
Housing officials say the city has little discretion once a property owner says they are taking a property off the rental market under the Ellis Act but that they are working to help residents relocate. City rules require landlords to pay tenants relocation assistance, amounts that range from about $9,000 to about $23,000, depending on how long they have lived in the apartment, their age, income and other factors.
“The impact of this is profound,” said Greg Good, senior advisor on policy and external affairs for the Los Angeles Housing Department. “There’s no way around that. It’s 577 units, and it will create significant disruption.”
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When it opened in 1962, Barrington Plaza was celebrated as the tallest residential complex west of Chicago and the biggest urban renewal project ever insured by the Federal Housing Administration. There were extensive gardens, a nine-hole putting green and a unique intercom system that allowed residents to dial two digits to call down for maids, sitters and caterers.
Over the decades, the apartments would change ownership multiple times and residentswould raise repeated safetyconcerns at the complex, which was exempted from laws requiring fire sprinklers because of when it was built.
On New Year’s Day in 1971, a Christmas tree caught fire, causing the building to be evacuated and the elevators to be removed from service for several days. In 2013, another fire injured several people, including a toddler, and displaced the residents of dozens of units. And in January 2020, another fire left a 19-year-old exchange student dead and several others injured. News stories featured images of a man clinging to the outside of the building several stories up as he tried to escape the blaze.
After that fire, eight floors in the complex’s tallest building were red-tagged, and they have remained vacant since.
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Eric Rose, a public relations executive working for Douglas Emmett, said in written responses to questions that when the company submitted plans to rebuild the damaged floors, the city conditioned its approval on the installation of sprinklers and other safety equipment throughout Barrington Plaza’s three towers.
Those changes cannot be done without vacating the three towersat the same time, Rose said, because building systems are shared among them and “structural changes, including changes to ceilings and walls, need to be made in order to carry the weight of the sprinkler system.”
This month, the company notified the city that it would withdraw the complex from the rental market under the Ellis Act, a 1985 state law that allows landlords to evict tenants in rent-stabilized apartments if, for instance, they are taking the building off the rental market to convert the units to condos.
Under city rules, owners invoking the Ellis Act must seek “in good faith” to remove it “permanently from rental housing use.”
Tenants and advocates say they believe the long-term plan is to rent the apartments once again. Because of that, they say, the evictions would be an improper use of the law.
“They want to renovate it. And they clearly want to re-rent it, and that’s not what the Ellis Act is about,” said tenant rights advocate Larry Gross, of the Coalition for Economic Survival.
He said the company should have used the city’s Tenant Habitability Program, under which landlords doing major renovations can temporarily relocate residents to comparable units until the work is done.
Rose says the Tenant Habitability Program is typically used for renovations that last days or months, not years.
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“At this time, the owners of Barrington Plaza are removing the units from the market and have options as to how those units will change, be rehabilitated through new life-safety measures or become something different,” Rose said.
He suggested that the apartments could eventually return to the rental market under rules laid out by the city.
Any rehabilitation of the complex will take years, he said, and “after that time, if the units were brought back onto the rental market, the owner would follow the obligations relative to former tenants as provided in those state and local rules.”
There are no plans to build new condominiums on the site, Rose said.
Residents have struggled to make sense of the lack of clarity about the building’s future.
Attorney Nima Farahani, who has conducted legal clinics and met with several of the Barrington tenants, said that under the Ellis Act, “if you really, in good faith, can’t be a landlord, you can stop being a landlord.”
But, he said, “you’ve got to go out of the rental business. End of story.”
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Under the law, if within two years a landlord rents an apartment vacated under the Ellis Act, they can be liable to former tenants for damages.
But after that, the consequences are less severe. If they rent within five years of the evictions, they must offer tenants a right of return with the same rent that they were paying when they were evicted, plus certain approved increases.
If the company rents again between five and 10 years, it must offer a right of return but can charge a market rate rent.
Advocates say that after two years, most residents will have resettled and be unlikely to return.
Residents have formed a tenants association, and many are preparing for fight the eviction. Some see it as part of a larger effort to protect affordable housing in Los Angeles.
A majority of the building’s tenants — who include a mix of retirees, working-class and white-collar workers and students — moved into the building in recent years. But more than 100 residents have lived at the Plaza for five or more years, according to city records. The median length of residency among those long-term tenants was 12 years. Some have lived there since the 1960s.
But even among those who have moved in more recently, there are residents who don’t want to go. Many say they chose the building because it was rent-stabilized, and that finding something similar will be next to impossible.
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Jacqui Fournier, 56, moved in to Barrington Plaza during the pandemic, in August 2020. She pays $1,595 for a studio on the 10th floor, a rate she believes was lower than it might have been under normal circumstances.
“We want to stay in our homes,” she said. “We cannot get, on the Westside, a comparable apartment at what we are paying now.”
The going rate for a studio apartment in the vicinity of Barrington Plaza is about $2,600, said Ryan Patap, senior director of market analytics with CoStar, which tracks real estate data.
The median rent paid by tenants at Barrington is $2,295, according to city data. That amount includes studios, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments.
Patap said it is possible that the large-scale evictions themselves could cause moderate rent increases in the surrounding neighborhood.
“This many renters probably would push up the rents. But to what extent, it’s hard to quantify,” he said.
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At the same time, it’s likely that many tenants won’t be able to remain in the neighborhood at all, because they wont be able to afford it, he said.
Chuck Martinez, a driver for Uber Eats, moved into Barrington Plaza in 2021. He knew it was the right place when he learned it was rent stabilized.
“I thought, ‘I’m going to need this,’ ” he said. “Looking back, I was happy I made the decision because now we’re dealing with inflation. The price of everything has gone up.”
He pays $1,850 a month for his studio on the 12th floor. From the windows that wrap around the corner unit, he can see Griffith Observatory and the Getty Center on a clear day.
“It’s a million-dollar view for $1,850,” he said.
For the last couple of weeks, when he’s not working he’s been meeting with other tenants, lawyers and advocates, trying to figure out if there is a way for him and others to avoid leaving.
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“I’m trying to save myself from losing my rent-stabilized apartment,” he said. “It’s the only way to try to keep something livable.”
As metropolitan areas across the nation continue to grapple with challenges related to housing their homeless populations, the White House announced on Thursday the launch of a new initiative designed to address unsheltered homelessness.
“ALL INside” is part of a larger plan introduced by the Biden administration in December 2022 called “All In: The Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness,” which has a goal of reducing homelessness in America by 25% by the year 2025. The ALL INside initiative focuses on addressing homelessness issues in both key metropolitan areas and the nation’s most populous state.
“Through the ALL INside initiative, the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) and its 19 federal member agencies will partner with state and local governments to strengthen and accelerate local efforts to get unsheltered people into homes in six places: Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Phoenix Metro, Seattle, and the State of California,” the White House said in its announcement.
The White House plans to support the initiative by assigning a dedicated federal official in each community to assist in the implementation of locally-designed homelessness strategies. It will also dedicate staff across the federal government to identify areas where regulatory relief would help to spur actions for reducing unsheltered homelessness.
Such staff will also “navigate federal funding streams, and facilitate a peer learning network across the communities,” the White House said.
The White House will also work to connect a network of philanthropists and the private sector to facilitate additional support for the measures.
A number of federal agencies will also play a part in supporting the initiative. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will, for example, work in concert with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the Social Security Administration (SSA) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to address barriers that the unhoused population may encounter when trying to obtain government-issued identification.
HUD will also “help communities troubleshoot barriers to connecting people to rental assistance or housing programs, as well as assist communities to use regulatory flexibilities to speed up the processes enabling residents to move into properties and transition into permanent housing,” the White House said.
Other agencies committed to supporting the new initiative include AmeriCorps, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Department of Justice, as well as the Departments of Energy, Treasury and Transportation. The General Services Administration is also involved, but the specific details regarding how these agencies will contribute were not specified.
House Party is a one-hour online experience where the New Story team and community will tackle homelessness by celebrating the gift of home and building them for others — a lot of them. In one night, we’ll come together and fund an entire community of homes in Nacajuca, Mexico. Talk about a happy ending to 2020 we could all use.
This may be the only party where there is no commute, no cleanup, and no dress code — the night is what we make it. And we plan to make it the most meaningful hour your family can spend on a screen this year.
So if Zoom calls and Schitt’s Creek are no longer doing it for you and you’re free the evening of December 6th, RSVP to House Party here (when we get closer to the date you’ll receive an email with a link to stream House Party from the comfort of your home.)
OUR GOAL Our goal is to raise $1M so we can complete a community of 100 homes for families who need them most.
One hundred families in Nacajuca, Mexico, have no place to call home. In the middle of a pandemic, they’re left to their unstable self-made shelter that’s prone to flooding six months of the year.
We can’t stand that. And we know you can’t either.
House Party is our chance to move towards impact by providing a rapid response to a dire situation. Homes have never mattered more. Let’s get to work.
ABOUT NEW STORY We’re a team working to end homelessness. It’s a big goal, but we’ve seen it attract bold people — like you! Sure, building the world’s first community of 3D printed homes is cool. So is building our own data-collection tool to track impact. But they’re just means to fulfill our big dream.Our favorite part of it all? The 11,000+ lives impacted. Thanks to our donors, we’ve helped build over 2,300 homes across 25 communities. And we’re just getting started.
Amid a housing shortage that’s pushed low-income renters onto the streets and made it difficult for moderate earners to find affordable options, California lawmakers introduced new measures this year to mitigate high costs of living and prevent evictions.
Here are two bills to help renters that cleared a major hurdle and one proposal that flopped this week as the Legislature took action before a key deadline on Friday:
Passed: Limiting security deposits
The Assembly easily approved a bill to ban landlords from charging more than one month’s rent as a security deposit.
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Assemblymember Matt Haney, a San Francisco Democrat who authored Assembly Bill 12, said that surging rent has made it increasingly difficult for renters to pay security deposits, which can equal up to three months worth of rent, or more than $10,000 in some cities.
“This means a security deposit can be as much as a down payment on a house in many parts of the country,” Haney said before the Assembly approved the measure. “This pushes many families, including those with individuals making minimum wage, to either forgo necessities such as food and utilities or acquire more debt in order to be approved for housing.”
Groups representing landlords opposed the measure, arguing that the lack of affordable housing units, not security deposits, is the real issue facing California renters, and that AB 12 would harm homeowners.
“Charging security deposits allows for rental property providers to balance risk associated with renting out property,” the California Rental Housing Assn. wrote in a bill analysis. “Without the ability to collect enough in security deposit to cover potential damages, rental property providers may decide to remove their homes from the rental market — further exacerbating the housing supply crisis.”
The bill will now be considered by the Senate, which has until Sept. 14 to vote on it.
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Passed: Curbing evictions
In 2019, the Legislature hashed out a deal with landlords and realtors on a bill to establish new rules against evictions and cap yearly rent increases to 5% plus inflation.
But state Sen. María Elena Durazo (D-Los Angeles) said those protections didn’t go far enough. Durazo introduced Senate Bill 567 this year to lower the rent cap to inflation, not to exceed 5% annually, and strengthen oversight of allowable evictions to ensure landlords aren’t exploiting what she described as loopholes in the law.
Facing pressure from business groups, apartment associations and moderate Democrats, Durazo later removed the rent cap provision of the bill. But advocates pushed hard to keep in accountability measures that would ensure landlords are not using evictions to remove a lower-paying tenant to later jack up the rent.
“We are all feeling the impact of the homeless crisis in our districts,” Durazo said during a Wednesday debate over the bill. “Part of what we have to do is stop the flow of families and people into homelessness.”
The changes Durazo made to the bill did little to appease the opposition. Republicans and a handful of Democrats opposed the measure as unfair and costly to homeowners.
“This bill will affect small rental property owners the most,” said Senate Republican Leader Brian Jones of Santee. “This bill goes a little bit too far.”
The measure narrowly passed the Senate and now heads to the Assembly.
Failed: Rent control expansion
Lawmakers this week killed one proposal to give tenants more protections through a measure to expand rent control.
State Sen. Aisha Wahab (D-Hayward) introduced Senate Bill 466 to update a 1995 law that limited rent control in California and allow for some newer buildings to become eligible for the price capping.
“We allow landlords to raise rents with impunity while taxpayers foot the bill for a problem that could be mitigated if jurisdictions were allowed to enact common-sense rent regulation policies,” Wahab said during a Wednesday Senate floor debate, while holding up a sleeping bag as a prop to make a point about the worsening homelessness crisis.
California voters have rejected an expansion of rent control twice in recent elections. Landlord groups, including the California Apartment Assn., contend that rent control stymies construction and discourages homeowners from putting new units on the market.
That argument prevailed in the Senate on Wednesday, when SB 466 failed by a large margin as several Democrats either withheld their votes or joined Republicans in opposing the bill.
It’s unusual for Democrats, who control the Legislature, to bring bills to the floor knowing they will fail because it exposes divisions among the ruling party. Wahab said she anticipated her bill would fall short, but that it was important to see who would go on the record in support.
“I think it’s important for advocates and activists to understand who will go up on a tough issue and who really cares about affordable housing,” Wahab said. “I thought it really mattered.”
Ever since I can remember, I’ve had a wild imagination and, consequently, a lot of big ideas. While this prepared me to be a natural entrepreneur, it wasn’t always enough to make me confident in my ability to pave my own way. After all, it was incredibly rare for me to see folks like me, a member of the LGBTQ+ community, successfully running small businesses in my rural town.
It wasn’t until I met my first LGBTQ+ small business owner, at a Pride event, that I realized that I could turn my big ideas into a business. This is exactly why supporting LGBTQ+ small businesses is so important, not only so that the world can continue to enjoy their amazing goods and services, but so kids like me don’t have to grow up thinking business ownership is out of reach.
This Pride Month, and beyond, I encourage you to try your best to support LGBTQ+-owned small businesses. Here are some of my favorites.
What’s Ahead:
1. Little Woodfords – Portland, ME
When my husband and I first moved in together, we were right down the street from Little Woodfords. I quickly found myself finding every excuse to walk by them, that way I could pop in for one of the most delicious cups of coffee that I have ever had (seriously, their coffee is incredible).
However, what I love about Little Woodfords, even more than their coffee, is the community that they have built from within their tiny little shop. When you walk in, you are greeted with a genuine smile that sticks with you the entire day.
2. Queer Candle Company – New York City, NY
Founded by couple, Ab and Al, Queer Candle Company makes some of the best smelling candles on this planet. If you love candles as much as I do, it will be your new favorite place to shop. Trust me, as soon as you burn their Sweet Grapefruit & Mint soy candle, you won’t want to buy from any other shop.
Supporting Queer Candle Company isn’t just about filling your home with delicious scents. When you buy from them, you are not only supporting Ab and Al, but you are also supporting other members of the LGBTQ+ community. The business is proud to employ other LGBTQ+ people, to work hard at building a sense of community amongst themselves and other similar businesses, and to donate 10% of their profits to the Sylvia Rivera Law Project.
3. Wish Me Luck Tattoo – Chicago, IL
In Chicago, Illinois, it isn’t hard to find a tattoo shop. If you ask me, however, Wish Me Luck Tattoo is where I would book my next session. Wish Me Luck is Chicago’s first Black/Indigenous, queer, and trans-owned shop, and is welcoming to people from all walks of life.
What makes this shop truly special, besides the beautiful art that walks out of it, is its owner, Faith. Faith decided it was time to open her shop after experiencing racism, homophobia, and transphobia at other tattoo shops. So, she hit the ground running and didn’t look back. What she has built is a tattoo shop that is not only inviting to all people, but is a safe place for those who feel unwelcome in other shops to get tattooed.
4. Guardian Brewing Company – Saugatuck, MI
If you love craft beer, good food, and live music, you will want to head towards the shores of Lake Michigan, just 36.5 miles from Grand Rapids. There lies Guardian Brewing Company, which opened in 2018, and features an extensive draft list of 22 craft beers, 14 wines, and 2 hard ciders. Not only that, but they offer cocktails made of local (and imported) liquors, absolutely delicious food, and a 3,500 square foot patio that is dog-friendly. It even features a six-foot gas-fired fire pit!
Best of all: when you visit Guardian Brewing Company, you are also helping support their efforts to make a difference in their community. Every year, they accept applications for philanthropic partnerships where they’ll donate to local organizations. Past recipients have included companies like Saugatuck Center For The Arts, Black Visions Collective, Out On The Lakeshore, and more.
5. Spellbound Sky – Los Angeles, CA
Along Santa Monica Boulevard is Spellbound Sky, a metaphysical shop owned by Mark Phillips and Martin Anguiano. For anyone looking to indulge in a little magic, Spellbound Sky is the perfect place to stop. You’ll find crystals, minerals, ritual candles, and much more.
Mark and Martin chose to open Spellbound Sky back in 2011 after over 20 years in the fashion industry in LA. They both had a mutual love for all things metaphysical and wanted to take the plunge and finally open their doors so they could share their vision with their community.
6. SuLei – Walla Walla, WA
I’m a huge lover of wine, so I felt like I had to include a winery. When I came across SuLei, I knew they were the perfect choice! For Elaine and Tanya, opening a wine cellar seemed like a natural transition, especially since they spent all their time researching (and tasting) wine anyway. The name SuLei was created by Elaine and Tanya to celebrate their partnership. It’s a synonym for “Sulis Minerva”, a Celtic goddess.
With red and white options, paired with names such as “Beet Red” and “Roller Girl Jammer”, you’ll find that SuLei has a lot to offer. Elaine and Tanya use both old and new world techniques when making their wine, and are deeply proud to be one of the growing women-owned and operated wine cellars in Washington.
7. Big Gay Ice Cream – New York City
Big Gay Ice Cream is quickly growing beyond small business status and it is more than easy to see (and taste) why. Their ice cream, which comes in soft serve at their locations, is some of the best that I have ever tried. My favorite? The Monday Sundae, a crispy waffle cone, lined with Nutella, filled with chocolate and vanilla twist, drizzled with dulce de leche, and adorned with whipped cream. What takes this cone sundae over the top, though, is the finishing touch – a sprinkle of sea salt. It is an out-of-body experience.
Big Gay Ice Cream goes beyond just supporting your taste buds and strives to make a real difference in the world. When you support Big Gay Ice Cream, you are also supporting their efforts to aid LGBTQIA+ organizations, education, homelessness and hunger initiatives, children, animal shelters, and more.
You don’t have to live by a Big Gay Ice Cream location in order to enjoy them, though. Big Gay Ice Cream now sells pints in stores.
Summary
Above are just a small handful of LGBTQ+-owned businesses throughout the United States, but it is by no means a comprehensive list. This Pride Month, I encourage you to venture out into your community to find the LGBTQ+-owned business local to you, and to show them your support.
After all, you aren’t just supporting LGBTQ+ business owners, but you are showing the kids with big ideas that their businesses can be successful.