SR 10-10-2023 16F
City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: October 10, 2023
Agenda Item: 16.F
1 of 1
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Denise Anderson Warren, City Clerk, Records and Election Services
Department
Subject: Request of Councilmember Torosis, Mayor Davis and Councilmember Zwick
that the City Council adopt a resolution in support of the tenants of Barrington
Plaza as they fight mass eviction, and direct staff to send copies of the
adopted resolution to the Barrington Plaza tenants' association, Los Angeles
Mayor Karen Bass, the Los Angeles City Councilmember that represents the
tenants of Barrington Plaza, and to Douglas Emmett Inc. headquartered in
Santa Monica, and other parties as deemed appropriate.
Prepared By: Denise Anderson Warren, City Clerk
Approved
Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. Resolution protecting Barrington Plaza tenants (02)
B. Written Comments
16.F
Packet Pg. 1005
City Council Meeting: October 10, 2023 Santa Monica, California
RESOLUTION NUMBER _____ (CCS)
(City Council Series)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA DECLARING
SUPPORT FOR THE BARRINGTON PLAZA TENANTS ASSOCIATION FACING MASS
EVICTION
WHEREAS, tenants of the 712-unit Barrington Plaza in West Los Angeles, the third
largest complex of rental apartments subject to the City of Los Angeles’ Rent Stabilization
Ordinance, are at risk of a mass eviction; and
WHEREAS, to prevent these evictions, the Barrington Plaza Tenants Association filed a
lawsuit against the building’s owner, Douglas Emmett, Inc., headquartered in Santa Monica,
California, on June 12, 2023; and
WHEREAS, if Douglas Emmett, Inc. the owner of Barrington Plaza, is to succeed in
efforts to remove all tenants from the high-rise building, this would be the largest mass eviction
in the City of Los Angeles since the Chavez Ravine evictions in the 1950s; and
WHEREAS, this mass eviction of over 522 occupied units, and the subsequent removal
of these units from the rental market will exacerbate market pressures for new rental units,
inevitably placing upward pressure on rent prices in Santa Monica; and
WHEREAS, Douglas Emmett, Inc. is invoking California’s Ellis Act – a 1985 law allowing
landlords to remove rental units from the market to leave the rental business – to evict hundreds
of families; and
WHEREAS, the owners of Barrington Plaza argue that the evictions are necessary to
perform building upgrades, including the installation of fire sprinklers; and
WHEREAS, the State of California and Los Angeles County in particular are already
experiencing a severe housing crisis as the cost of living far outpaces wages and inflation; and
WHEREAS, according to the California Housing Partnership, 521,596 low-income renter
households in Los Angeles County do not have access to an affordable home; and
WHEREAS, the purpose of the Ellis Act is to permit landlords to go out of the rental
business, but the state does not require the owner to state their intended use of the property,
and jurisdictions have limited tools for preventing the fraudulent use of Ellis and sham evictions;
and
WHEREAS, according to the Coalition for Economic Survival (CES), since 2001, the
Ellis Act has been invoked to evict 29,467 units in Los Angeles; and
WHEREAS, the City of Santa Monica supports its residents, of which approximately 70%
are renters, through the protection of rent stabilization and bolstering tenant rights in the city;
and
16.F.a
Packet Pg. 1006 Attachment: Resolution protecting Barrington Plaza tenants (02) (6059 : Support tenants of Barrington Plaza)
WHEREAS, this looming eviction is especially concerning for renters in Santa Monica,
where Douglas Emmett, Inc. owns several large residential properties.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT:
SECTION I. The City Council of the City of Santa Monica supports the tenants of
Barrington Plaza as they fight eviction and attempt to save their homes.
SECTION II. The City Council of Santa Monica implores Barrington Plaza owner
Douglas Emmett, Inc., a company headquartered in Santa Monica, to honor the City’s
commitment to protecting renters’ rights by not evicting the tenants of Barrington Plaza and to
use Los Angeles’ tenant habitability program for any needed repairs to temporarily relocate the
tenants.
SECTION III. The City Council hereby directs the City Manager to transmit this
resolution to the Barrington Plaza tenants' association, the Los Angeles City Councilmember
that represents the tenants of Barrington Plaza, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, and to Douglas
Emmett, Inc. headquartered in Santa Monica, and other parties as deemed appropriate.
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
DOUGLAS SLOAN
City Attorney
16.F.a
Packet Pg. 1007 Attachment: Resolution protecting Barrington Plaza tenants (02) (6059 : Support tenants of Barrington Plaza)
1
Xavier Mota
From:Lonnie Guinn <lonnie.guinn@outlook.com>
Sent:Sunday, October 8, 2023 8:38 AM
To:councilmtgitems; Gleam Davis; Lana Negrete; Phil Brock; Oscar de la Torre; Christine Parra; Caroline
Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject:Please Support Measure 16C and 16F
EXTERNAL
Mayor Davis, Mayor Pro Tempore Negrete, Councilmembers Brock, Parra, de la Torre, Torosis, and Zwick,
The 2024 general election gives the State of California another chance to repeal the legislation (Costa Hawkins) that not
only gutted valuable assets of rent control jurisdictions but, in combination with the Ellis Act, allowed situations like the
current one at Barrington Plaza in West LA to take place. That repeal can happen with the passage of the Justice for
Renters Act ballot measure.
Using their monied supporters, opponents will try to inundate voters with disinformation so it is very important that our
City Council take action on Agenda Item 16C to support the Justice for Renters Act. Santa Monica was and is a leader in
rent control but that leadership is nothing without clear support from those elected to lead us. This Council can send a
message that we continue to advocate for lower rents so that we allow tenants to remain in their homes for as long as
they wish, move within our City when life changes make it necessary, and be able to spend time enhancing their lives
without an overextended rent burden.
Of course, the proactive measure to addressing homelessness begins with making sure people remain housed. It's
interesting that housing providers rail about the homeless situation making Santa Monica less appealing and, yet, they
continue to support policies that push more people to homelessness.
Repeal of Costa Hawkins doesn't automatically give California rent control. It doesn't threaten single family homes. It
doesn't return rent control laws to pre‐Costa Hawkins levels. Instead, it offers jurisdictions across the state an
opportunity, if they desire, to implement rent stabilization rules that best suit their needs.
Please vote YES to endorse the Justice for Renters Act.
And vote YES on Item 16F to support the Barrington Plaza tenants who are in a fight not only for their homes
but in a fight for all renters against what happens when Costa Hawkins is used in conjunction with the Ellis Act.
Lonnie Guinn
Commissioner
Santa Monica Rent Control Board
ITEM 16.F.
October 10, 2023
ITEM 16.F.
October 10, 2023
16.F.b
Packet Pg. 1008 Attachment: Written Comments (6059 : Support tenants of Barrington Plaza)
1
Xavier Mota
From:Santa Monicans for Renters' Rights <smrrinfo@gmail.com>
Sent:Monday, October 9, 2023 5:35 PM
To:Gleam Davis; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick; Phil Brock; Lana Negrete; Oscar de la Torre;
christine.para@santamonica.gov; councilmtgitems
Subject:Item 16F, Agenda 10-10-23; Barrington Plaza Resolution
EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor and Councilmembers:
Santa Monicans for Renters' Rights (SMRR) urges you to adopt a resolution in support of the tenants
of Barrington Plaza, as they fight mass eviction by the building's owner, Douglas Emmett Inc.
Corporate landlord Douglas Emmett Inc. is attempting to evict more than 500 rent-controlled tenants
from the Barrington Plaza Apartments in West Los Angeles. Douglas Emmett Inc. also owns large
rent-controlled apartment complexes in Santa Monica totalling 940 units, and has a corporate
headquarters in our City.
Douglas Emmett Inc is using the Ellis Act (which allows owners to "go out of the rental housing
business") to evict everyone, however they do not appear to be going out of the rental housing
business at all -- just emptying the buildings to remodel them to add sprinkler systems, and,
ultimately, higher income renters.
While the Barrington Plaza tenants have filed a lawsuit seeking to stop the evictions, we urge
Councilmembers to act today in support of the tenants and against these threatened evictions, and
issue a resolution. Once adopted, please direct staff to send copies of the resolution to the Barrington
Plaza Tenants Association, LA Mayor Karen Bass, the LA Councilmember that represents the tenants
of Barrington Plaza, and to Douglas Emmett Inc., headquartered in Santa Monica as well as any
other parties deemed appropriate.
Thank you.
ITEM 16.F.
October 10, 2023
ITEM 16.F.
October 10, 2023
16.F.b
Packet Pg. 1009 Attachment: Written Comments (6059 : Support tenants of Barrington Plaza)
1
Xavier Mota
From:Jon Katz <tmbjon@gmail.com>
Sent:Tuesday, October 10, 2023 11:39 AM
To:councilmtgitems
Cc:Gleam Davis; Lana Negrete; Phil Brock; Oscar de la Torre; Christine Parra; Caroline Torosis; Jesse
Zwick
Subject:Item 16F - SUPPORT
EXTERNAL
Mayor Davis, Mayor Pro Tempore Negrete, and Councilmembers:
Please support the resolution supporting tenants of Barrington Plaza who are facing the threat of mass eviction from
their homes. This building sits just on the other side of our city line, meaning that the potential mass displacement could
have a major effect on our City, including a likely increase to our unhoused population.
I joined a protest of this eviction on Ocean Avenue in front of the headquarters of Douglas Emmett, Inc. which owns this
property. During the protest, I witnessed about a dozen individuals from the company management come out to the
street level to mock the protesters, including making lewd hand gestures, eye rolls, and over the top cynical laughter.
Their callous indifference to the fate of their own tenants redoubled my own commitment to making sure this eviction
does not take place.
There is no real reason to evict all of these tenants for the reasons stated. The needed repairs can happen while the
tenants remain in their units. The true reason for this eviction is so that Douglas Emmett Inc can bring in new tenants at
higher rates of rent. These potential increased profits should not dictate the fates of hundreds of tenants whose housing
security is on the line.
Thank you for your consideration. Please do the right thing by supporting our neighbors.
‐‐
Jon Katz
tmbjon@gmail.com
cell: (215) 962‐4357
ITEM 16.F.
October 10, 2023
ITEM 16.F.
October 10, 2023
16.F.b
Packet Pg. 1010 Attachment: Written Comments (6059 : Support tenants of Barrington Plaza)
1
Xavier Mota
From:Anastasia Foster <arfoster888@gmail.com>
Sent:Tuesday, October 10, 2023 11:40 AM
To:councilmtgitems
Subject:16 f Support
EXTERNAL
Please support the tenants of Barrington Plaza with this Resolution. This move to empty the building just to renovate it
is a clear threat to the stability of our own housing stock in Santa Monica and throughout California.
Thank you
‐‐
Anastasia Foster
Chair, Santa Monica Rent Control Board
Organizer, Schiff for Senate Campaign
Board of Directors, Meals on Wheels West
CADEM Credentials Committee Co‐Chair & Delegate ‐ AD51
CEPS Steering Committee
Franklin PTA Executive Committee
Facebook
Instagram
ITEM 16.F.
October 10, 2023
ITEM 16.F.
October 10, 2023
16.F.b
Packet Pg. 1011 Attachment: Written Comments (6059 : Support tenants of Barrington Plaza)
1
Xavier Mota
From:Ellis Raskin <ellis.raskin@gmail.com>
Sent:Tuesday, October 10, 2023 11:42 AM
To:councilmtgitems; Gleam Davis; Lana Negrete; Phil Brock; Oscar de la Torre; Christine Parra; Caroline
Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Cc:Clerk Mailbox; David White; Douglas Sloan; Denise Anderson-Warren
Subject:Comments for Oct. 10, 2023 City Council Meeting
Attachments:2023-10-10 Ltr re Agenda Item 16-F.pdf; 2023-10-10 Ltr re Agenda Item 16-C.pdf; 2023-10-10 Ltr re
Agenda Item 4-E.pdf
EXTERNAL
Dear Hon. Councilmembers:
Please find attached comment letters regarding agenda items 4‐E, 16‐C, and 16‐F.
Best,
Ellis Raskin
ITEM 16.F.
October 10, 2023
ITEM 16.F.
October 10, 2023
16.F.b
Packet Pg. 1012 Attachment: Written Comments (6059 : Support tenants of Barrington Plaza)
October 10, 2023
Santa Monica City Council
c/o City Clerk
1685 Main St., Room 250
Santa Monica, CA 90401
RE: Agenda item 16-F (Support for Barrington Plaza Residents)
Dear Hon. Councilmembers,
I urge you to vote in favor of the proposed resolution in support of the residents of Barrington
Plaza. As you know, this would be the largest mass eviction in the City of Los Angeles since the
Chavez Ravine evictions in the 1950s.
Evicting the residents of Barrington Plaza would be a catastrophe. It is important to remember
that these evictions will not only have impacts on the housing market – there will be human
health impacts. Public health experts, sociological experts, and other public policy experts have
published numerous articles, studies, and reports documenting the adverse environmental and
human health effects caused by (and associated with) housing displacement.1
Please support this item.
Best,
Ellis Raskin
1 See, e.g.:
• Community-level Effects of Displacement:
http://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/52311/900936 -Community-level-Effects-of-
Displacement.pdf
• Bay Area Regional Health Inequities Initiative Analysis of Displacement Impacts: http://barhii.org/wp-
content/uploads/2016/02/BARHII-displacement-brief.pdf
• Homelessness and its Effects on Children: http://www.fhfund.org/wp-
content/uploads/2014/10/Homlessness_Effects_Children.pdf
• Housing Displacement and Health: http://www.rph.org.nz/content/72b908b8-f8d7-4a17-ad8a-
6e25a97f4876.cmr
• Can Curbing Gentrification Help Stop Climate Change?: http://theweek.com/articles/680154/curbing-
gentrification-help-stop-climate-change
• Homelessness and Housing Instability: The Impact on Education Outcomes:
https://www.tacomahousing.net/sites/default/files/print_pdf/Education/Urban%20Institute%20THA%20Ho
melessness%20and%20Education%202014-12-22.pdf
• Serial Forced Displacement in American Cities:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/51161188_Serial_Forced_Displacement_in_American_Cities_19
16-2010
ITEM 16.F.
October 10, 2023
ITEM 16.F.
October 10, 2023
16.F.b
Packet Pg. 1013 Attachment: Written Comments (6059 : Support tenants of Barrington Plaza)
1
Xavier Mota
From:Natalya Zernitskaya <nzernitskaya@gmail.com>
Sent:Tuesday, October 10, 2023 11:48 AM
To:councilmtgitems
Cc:Gleam Davis; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Oscar de la Torre; Phil Brock; Caroline Torosis; David
White; Jesse Zwick; doug.sloan@santamonica.gov
Subject:10/10/23 City Council Agenda Items 16C and 16F
EXTERNAL
Re: Santa Monica City Council Agenda 10/10/2023 - Items 16C & 16F
Dear Mayor Davis, Mayor Pro Tem Negrete, and City Councilmembers,
I urge you to please support both Item 16C (for the City to formally support the Justice for Renters Act) and
16F (to adopt a resolution in support of the tenants of Barrington Plaza as they fight mass eviction). The
reason I include both items in one email is because they are both about protecting tenants.
With regards to Item 16C, the “Request of Mayor Davis and Councilmembers Torosis and Zwick that the City
Council support the Justice for Renters Act. The California Secretary of State has verified that the Justice for
Renters Act has qualified for the November 2024 state ballot. The Justice for Renters Action is an initiative
which will expand local control over rent laws by replacing The Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act. Costa
Hawkins prohibits rent control on single-family homes, condominiums and rental units that were built after
1995. The Justice for Renters Act removes this ban on rent control in California, giving local communities the
right to stabilize rents and make apartments more affordable for low-income and middle-income renters.
Repealing Costa Hawkins will help local government address one of the root causes of homelessness--
skyrocketing rents and unaffordable housing. Mayor Davis and Councilmembers Torosis and Zwick also
request that the City Manager issue a press release indicating the City Council’s support for the proposed
ballot initiative and send a letter of support from the City to the Governor, Senator Ben Allen, Assemblymember
Rick Zbur, and to the proponents of the Justice For Renters Act.”, support of this ballot measure should be an
easy yes vote given Santa Monica’s strong support of our rent control tenant protections and our limitations in
expanding rent control protections for tenants due to the Costa-Hawkins Act of 1995.
With regards to Item 16F, the “Request of Councilmember Torosis, Mayor Davis and Councilmember Zwick
that the City Council adopt a resolution in support of the tenants of Barrington Plaza as they fight mass
eviction, and direct staff to send copies of the adopted resolution to the Barrington Plaza tenants' association,
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, the Los Angeles City Councilmember that represents the tenants of
Barrington Plaza, and to Douglas Emmett Inc. headquartered in Santa Monica, and other parties as deemed
appropriate.” , it is important for our City to show solidarity with the tenants of Barrington Plaza and send a
strong signal that we oppose these types of actions not only in our own city borders but in our larger
community as well. We support the fair and equitable treatment of all renters and we should not be afraid to
voice that support.
Additionally both of items are supported by our City’s legislative priorities including:
Support legislation that amends or repeals the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act.
Support legislation that increases tenant protections and eliminates the incentive for property owners to
remove rent control eligible properties from the rental market through the Ellis Act or other means
Please vote yes on both Item 16-C and 16F.
ITEM 16.F.
October 10, 2023
ITEM 16.F.
October 10, 2023
16.F.b
Packet Pg. 1014 Attachment: Written Comments (6059 : Support tenants of Barrington Plaza)
2
Sincerely,
Natalya Zernitskaya
Natalya Zernitskaya (she/her)
nzernitskaya@gmail.com
ITEM 16.F.
October 10, 2023
ITEM 16.F.
October 10, 2023
16.F.b
Packet Pg. 1015 Attachment: Written Comments (6059 : Support tenants of Barrington Plaza)
1
Xavier Mota
From:Dan Hall <daniel.stephen.hall@gmail.com>
Sent:Tuesday, October 10, 2023 11:57 AM
To:councilmtgitems
Cc:Caroline Torosis; Christine Parra; Gleam Davis; Lana Negrete; Oscar de la Torre; Phil Brock; Jesse
Zwick
Subject:Item 16F - SUPPORT
EXTERNAL
Mayor Davis, Mayor Pro Tempore Negrete, and Council:
Please support Item 16F to add our community’s collective voice in support of the tenants at Barrington Plaza who are
being wrongfully evicted.
This is in line with your stated legislative priorities, specifically supporting legislation that eliminates the incentive for
property owners to remove rent control properties through the Ellis Act.
Thank you,
Dan Hall
ITEM 16.F.
October 10, 2023
ITEM 16.F.
October 10, 2023
16.F.b
Packet Pg. 1016 Attachment: Written Comments (6059 : Support tenants of Barrington Plaza)