ACTION started off the New Year in a new meeting location, the Roosevelt Elementary School auditorium, which is larger than our previous meeting location. The move to a larger meeting facility was due to increased attendance by members in the past year who attend the meetings.

The January 6, 2003 meeting focused on a discussion by local attorneys and counselors concerning the new state laws and the new local laws as it affects apartment owners . Our thanks extend to Thomas Nitti, Harold Griffin, Carl Lambert, Michael Koenig, Rosario Perry and Jim Jacobson. All individuals gave excellent presentations and responded to questions from the audience. A very informative meeting that should not have been missed by rental property owners.

Please also be aware that new forms are available from the ACTION office, which you must use to comply with the new laws. Please call the office for your new set of forms.

Finally, congratulations are in order to Rosario Perry who successfully settled the damage obligation owed by The City of Santa Monica and The Rent Control Board to the property owners of Santa Monica who were forced to pay interest on security deposits in excess of the amounts received from lending institutions on the deposits. The settlement is in the form of a promise by the City to not charge interest on security deposits for at least three years and, if it chooses to do so, then only at rates upon which the property owners receive interest from lending institutions, not anything in excess.

The February 3 meeting will again be at the Roosevelt school auditorium at Lincoln and Montana, coffee and dessert will be served after the meeting. There will be plenty of seats and street parking or parking in the school parking lot located at 9th & Alta is available. Please carefully read the articles in this magazine for details concerning the new laws and requirements and we hope to see you at the February owner education meeting.