SANTA MONICA

RENT CONTROL BOARD

 Santa Monica City Hall
1685 Main Street, Room 202
Santa Monica, CA 90401
(310) 458-8751

Public counter hours:  8:00-4:30 Counseling by phone: 7:30-5:30
CLOSED EVERY OTHER FRIDAY

  Rent Control Board Commissioners

The Rent Control Board is composed of five elected commissioners.  The Commissioners do not have offices in City Hall.  Like City Council members, they are elected officials who have full-time jobs in addition to their Board responsibilities.  To communicate with the Board, you may contact the Board Secretary at 458-8751 or send a letter to the Commissioners at the Rent Control office (address above).

Commissioners receive and read all letters addressed to them.  If a letter asks the Board to act on a particular matter, the letter may be placed on the weekly agenda.  Otherwise the letter is sent to the Board along with Board meeting materials for them to review.

Rent Board Services

 Rent Control staff can:

• Answer questions about the rent control law;

• Provide information about rent controlled properties;

• Advise how much rent may be collected for any specific rent controlled unit;

• Provide information about and referrals to other services in the community;

• Hold hearings regarding individual rent decreases or increases, rent overcharges, rent levels and amenities, and tenant(s) not in occupancy.

Board Meetings 

Board meetings are open to the public and are broadcast on the City’s cable TV station.  The Board usually meets one or two times per month on Thursday evenings at 7:00 p.m.  The meetings are held in Council Chambers in City Hall.  The weekly agenda is posted in the hall outside the Rent Control office and staff reports are available for review prior to the meeting at the public counter.  Staff reports for public hearings or periodic reports are also posted on the Agency’s web site www.smgov.net/rentcontrol.

The Board encourages residents of the City to attend Board meetings, particularly when a public hearing is scheduled so the Commissioners have an opportunity to hear comments on proposed regulations and programs.

Rent Control Terms and Definitions

Maximum Allowable Rent (MAR):  The MAR is the maximum rent that a landlord may charge for a controlled rental unit. Certain surcharges may be added to the maximum allowable rent. The rent control staff can provide the current MAR in the Board’s records for any controlled rental unit.  MARs are also available on the Rent Control Board's World Wide Web page at:  www.smgov.net/rentcontrol

General Adjustment:  Each year the Rent Control Board approves a general rent increase for most rental units in the City.  This amount is intended to cover the increase in the average landlord’s operating expenses.  Public hearings regarding the amount of increase are held in May and June.  When the Board makes its final decision, all landlords and tenants are notified of the allowable increase.

Excess Rent Complaint:  If a tenant has paid more than the MAR (or other forms of excess rent as defined in Chapter 8 of the Rent Control regulations), he or she may file a complaint with the Rent Control Board or file a civil lawsuit with the court system.  Information Coordinators are available to explain this process.

Rent Decrease:  Tenants whose rental units need repairs or maintenance, or tenants whose housing services have been reduced, may petition to have their monthly rent decreased.  The purpose of the rent decrease is to motivate owners to maintain their property.  A rent decrease stays in effect until the necessary repairs have been made.  Steps that must be taken before filing a rent decrease petition are explained in writing in a packet available at the Rent Control office.  The procedures for filing a rent decrease petition can also be explained by an Information Coordinator.

Rent Increase Petition:  Owners may petition for rent increases above the yearly general adjustment due to completed or planned capital improvements or increased operating expenses not covered by the general adjustments.  Owners must demonstrate they are not receiving a fair return to obtain an individual rent increase.

This page was last modified on 11/17/2009