Rent control: How to look up rental amount? (Los Angeles, San Francisco: section 8, apartments)

[Brookside]

Hello!

Looking at renting an apartment in a complex built before 1978 (which means it is automatically a rent-stabilized building, correct?)

I would like to find out what the prior rent was and what the current rents are/should be. I tried looking this up on the LAHD website, but I can't seem to find anything.

Is anyone aware of a site or resource I can use?

Thanks so much!

[jm1982]

Interesting question .

I have never heard of a database of rents . I know that section 8 has set max rates for rents .

Also this might help you can put location and find estimate of rents are in area .

https://www.rentometer.com

Another thing though is that once the unit is vacant the previous rent is irrelevant because the landlord can set whatever rent they want.

If it's a hot area and rents went up a lot the landlord will likely raise rent to meet the current market price

Just like a home seller uses current home prices to sell their home .

You could also try calling lahd to see if they have that info but I highly doubt it . There are so many apartments in la that it would be a mess .

Another idea if you want to know previous rents for a building would be to
Look for old classified ads for rent apartments from previous years .

[jw2]

Originally Posted by Brookside

Hello!

Looking at renting an apartment in a complex built before 1978 (which means it is automatically a rent-stabilized building, correct?)

I would like to find out what the prior rent was and what the current rents are/should be. I tried looking this up on the LAHD website, but I can't seem to find anything.

Is anyone aware of a site or resource I can use?

Thanks so much!

Unlike some other areas, Los Angeles Rent Stabilization Ordinance allows the landlord to set the rent to whatever he wants (market rent) if the tenant vacates voluntarily or was evicted because of a lease violation without curing the violation. (there are some minor exceptions). Since these are the largest reasons for vacancies, the prior rents will have no value to you. What may provide you value is to see if the offered rent is acceptable based on similar units in the open market as JM1982 provided.

[Brookside]

Originally Posted by jw2

Unlike some other areas, Los Angeles Rent Stabilization Ordinance allows the landlord to set the rent to whatever he wants (market rent) if the tenant vacates voluntarily or was evicted because of a lease violation without curing the violation. (there are some minor exceptions). Since these are the largest reasons for vacancies, the prior rents will have no value to you. What may provide you value is to see if the offered rent is acceptable based on similar units in the open market as JM1982 provided.

Hmm, interesting. So "rent stabilized" means that the landlord can charge whatever the market will bear, but only increase the rent by a maximum percentage each year?

And yes, I have lived in other communities with rent control/stabilization. Rent increase only allowed for "substantial material improvements," etc. And some communities do have databases where one can look up the rent ased on the address, but they are smaller than LA.

Thanks for the info!

[Dunbar42]

Originally Posted by Brookside

Hmm, interesting. So "rent stabilized" means that the landlord can charge whatever the market will bear, but only increase the rent by a maximum percentage each year?

Yes, I'm pretty sure that's how rent control works everywhere...

[jw2]

Originally Posted by Brookside

Hmm, interesting. So "rent stabilized" means that the landlord can charge whatever the market will bear, but only increase the rent by a maximum percentage each year?

And yes, I have lived in other communities with rent control/stabilization. Rent increase only allowed for "substantial material improvements," etc. And some communities do have databases where one can look up the rent ased on the address, but they are smaller than LA.

Thanks for the info!

I have not studied rent controlled/stabilized areas in detail because I will not invest in them but from a cursory check, it seems that Los Angeles has done a pretty good job because they do factor in a fair return for the landlord. Areas like Santa Monica, San Francisco, New York City, have much more rigid rent control/stabilization and while it does benefit a few, it does make the overall rental market much worse. In Los Angeles, the free market still prevails to a large extent and rentals are widely available to the lower middle class and middle class. I am sure you can find something suitable on your own without government intervention.

[Brookside]

Originally Posted by Dunbar42

Yes, I'm pretty sure that's how rent control works everywhere...

Nope!

See JW's post above. Rules differ, depending on the locale.

[Dunbar42]

Originally Posted by Brookside

Nope!

See JW's post above. Rules differ, depending on the locale.

I just did, he/she says nothing about the ability of the landlord to raise rents once a tenant vacates or is evicted. AFAIK rent control protects only current tenants. Once you're gone there is no limit on how much rents can be raised. I wouldn't say LA's rent control is all that "fair." I'm pretty sure there are longer term (10-15+yr.) tenants in my rent controlled building paying $1k+/mo. below the market rate. It wouldn't surprise me to hear they pay the same or less for their 2-floor 2BR apartment than I do for my 1BR.

Santa Monica has income restricted housing but that's a completely different program. You can make a million dollars a year and still be protected by rent control (that's one of the criticisms of the program BTW.)

[jm1982]

This will make you question how fair rent control is

https://www.baycitizen.org/columns/s...es-super-rich/

This happens in other areas too..

[jw2]

Originally Posted by Brookside

Nope!

See JW's post above. Rules differ, depending on the locale.

To be clear AB 1164 (1995) Assembly Bill makes city's strict rent control between tenants illegal. Landlords can now raise rents to market rents upon normal vacancies. I didn't read this in detail so there may be exceptions.