MISSION IMPOSSIBLE?

I may be attempting the impossible. I am going to ask you to volunteer a bit of time for something which I am not going to explain and to do so I am not going to appeal to your emotions. If you are still reading, thank you.

By way of introduction, the Santa Monica Mirror did a year end issue recently in which they summarized the top local stories of the year 2000. What was most noteworthy was that there was no mention of rent control. Remarkable. Rent control not even on the news radar of the local newspaper in Santa Monica. That's the equivalent of the Lakers not being mentioned in the sports pages of the L.A. Times.

This is by no means a criticism of the Mirror. The fact is that rent control hasn't been a hot topic here for quite a while. Since 1996, when the phase-in of the Costa Hawkins Bill began, there has been a virtual truce between the rent control combatants here.

Owners have enjoyed six years of peace and prosperity. After reading the Mirror story and seeing no mention of rent control, I said to myself, "This is great, but how much longer can it last". I didn't have to wait long to find out. Two weeks later a front-page article appeared in the Westside section of the L.A. Times complete with a picture of an elderly lady. Not to rehash the story, but the gist of it was to illustrate the negative consequences of the Costa Hawkins Bill. This type of story with picture of senior citizen "victim" has proceeded every rent control offensive.
The lifeline of our industry is this Assembly bill which can be amended or eliminated by the same legislative process that enacted it. Moreover, our industry has many fewer friends in Sacramento today that when Costa Hawkins passed.

Rent control proponents have not given up; they are just biding their time until the opportunity presents itself to mount a new campaign. What should we do? Let's start with what we shouldn't do. What is foolish on our part is to assume all is well, do nothing, and wait for something bad to happen, by which time it will probably be too late to react.

I have several ideas in mind. But, here's the catch; strategically it isn't advisable to discuss the plan publicly, particularly in a magazine avidly read by our opponents. Can you imagine a football coach outlining his game plan in the newspaper prior
to the game? There have been incidents in which our opponents have used our magazine as exhibits in court to argue one point or another.

Here's my problem. I don't have any paid players to execute the plan; only potential volunteers like you. I need about 100 people. At this stage, I ask only that you meet with me to hear what I propose. If you think it has no merit or won't work, no problem, you will have only lost about an hour. Based on what you hear, if you want to participate, great.

Many apartment buildings are now in the hands of a new generation of owners who don't have the scars from our previous battles. Your participation may be the key to avoiding the wounds that you parents or predecessors suffered. Many veterans of prior rent control wars are still around and have enjoyed a few years of
well-deserved "retirement". But you have the time, knowledge and experience to serve your industry effectively again.

I you are willing to invest an hour to meet with me please call the Action office at 310-828-7628.