SR-081407-1G~®
~; Y of City Council Report
Santa Monica
City Council Meeting: August 14, 2007
Agenda Item: ~ G
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Marsha Jones Moutrie, City Attorney
Subject: Council Resolution Quantifying Per Diem Amounts For Temporary Tenant
Relocation Benefits
Recommended Action
On June 12, 2007, Council amended the Tenant Relocation Assistance Ordinance to
provide that the Council should by resolution establish reasonable per diem rates for
housing, meals, and laundry and pets when applicable, when a residential tenant is
temporarily relocated. Staff has researched these areas and now recommends that
Council adopt the attached resolution establishing the proposed per diem amounts.
Executive Summary
Based on its research, staff recommends the following per diem- amounts:
Housing: $135 per day per household
Meals: $25 per day per person
Laundry (if applicable): $1 per day per household
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Pet accommodations (if applicable): $25 per day per cat; $45 per day per dog;
and actual daily boarding cost for all other pets. The tenant must provide proof of actual
boarding for the requested number of days.
Discussion
The Housing and Redevelopment Division has researched the current average costs for
the four items of temporary relocation benefits. They report the following:
Hotels -the typical `modest hotel (Best Western, Comfort Inn, Days Inn, and
Travelodge) has rates that average about $135 per day.
Meals -Santa Monica City and State employees have per diem meal allowances
that range between $34 and $45 per day. $25 per day is reasonable in the context of
landlord-paid relocation benefits, in part since unrelocated tenants have substantial
meal expenses anyway and the benenfit by definition represents a partial
compensation.
Laundry -Staff notes that this item would be payable only to those tenants who
have their own laundry facilities inside their apartments. The per diem amount is fairly
minimal. $1 per day appears sufficient.
Pets -There is only one kennel in Santa Monica. The boarding rate for a
medium-sized dog is $45 per day (less for a small dog and $5 more for a large dog).
The rate for cats is $5 plus $25 per day. Staff notes that a pet allowance should be
payable only to those tenants who actually board their pets and do not utilize alternate,
cost-free pet accommodations during the relocation. For example, if the tenant stays at
a hotel that accepts pets, or if the tenant stays with relatives who allow the pet, the
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f:\atty\mu n i\law\barry\tem p relocation perd iems8-14-07
City Council Meeting 08-14-07 Santa Monica, California
RESOLUTION NUMBER (CCS)
(City Council Series)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA
ESTABLISHING PER DIEM AMOUNTS FOR SPECIFIED FORMS OF TEMPORARY
TENANT RELOCATION ASSISTANCE
WHEREAS, on June 12, 2007, the City Council amended Santa Monica
Municipal Code Section 4.36.100(d) to provide that Council shall establish by resolution
reasonable per diem rates for the following items of temporary relocation expenses
requires under that chapter: hotel accommodations; meal allowance; laundry allowance;
and pet accommodations; and
WHEREAS, Staff has researched reasonable market per diem rates for housing,
meals, laundry and pet accommodations and arrived at reasonable per diem rates for
each; and
WHEREAS, as to housing, the typical 'modest' hotel in Santa Monica (e.g., Best
Western, Comfort Inn, Days Inn, and Travelodge) has rates that average about $135
per day; and
WHEREAS, as to meals, Santa Monica City and State employees have per diem
meal allowances that range between $34 and $45 per day; $25 per day is reasonable in
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benefit would not be payable.
Prepared by: Marsha Jones Moutrie, City Attorney
Approved:
M rs a Jon Mou rie
Ci Attorn y
Forwarded to Council:
Reference
Resolution No.
10234 (CCS)