[Editor’s Note: These remarks were delivered at the City Council meeting on Monday evening.]
I am here to voice my concerns about the move to disband the Culver City Landlord Tenant Mediation Board and to replace it with rent control.
A former member-at-large of the LTMB and a mediator for many years with the Institute for Conflict Management and the L.A. County Bar Assn. as well as mediating while I served as Associate Vice President at Cal State L.A., my experience has shown me that mediation is the best way to resolve disputes.
Although data indicate that 46 percent of Culver City’s population are renters, a significant portion are at middle- and high-income levels. They have not been at-risk with the demise of the Redevelopment Agency. I am neither a tenant nor a landlord, but I can understand the frustrations of tenants when it appears that the city is providing little help to low- and fixed-income residents except through limited housing vouchers and federally funded Section 8. Since Gov. Brown signed AB 26 in 2011, which de-funded the Redevelopment Agency, there has been only the Landlord-Tenant Mediation Board for tenants to turn to – no Rental Assistance Program, no Temporary Emergency Rental and Relocation Assistance Program, and no contract with the Housing Rights Center, which handles questions regarding tenant-landlord rights.
If mediation was not successful, it must have appeared to tenants that there was no further recourse. Although arbitration is mentioned on the Housing Authority website, there is no other information or link.
In arbitration, both parties agree to have a third party, usually an attorney, render a final and binding decision based on facts and evidence presented.
Mediation, however, assists the conflicting parties in resolving their differences and reaching a mutually acceptable settlement.
Culver City Housing Authority data in 2010 show that 277 requests were mediated by the LTMB since its inception in 1981 and 246 were resolved. Mediators facilitate. Mediators are neutral. Mediators are objective. Mediators do not enforce. Mediators do not litigate.
Having the Finance Committee look into the refunding of the Rental Assistance Program is a step in the right direction. An open forum and discussion will help prior to the June City Council meeting, but other approaches should receive attention now.
- A link on the Housing Authority website for arbitration…
- Renewing the contract with the Housing Rights Center…
- Providing clear guidelines to landlords concerning rental regulations and informing tenants about the LTMB…
- Improving marketing of the free mediation services provided by the LTMB…
- If Culver City provided no mediation, but had rent control, an attorney and staff would need to be hired to handle only rent control issues. As cities, which have established rent control have found…it is expensive.
The operating budget for the Rent Control Agency in Santa Monica is $4.5 million per year with any shortfall covered by the general fund. Their Rent Control Board is elected, not appointed, and within their Rent Control Agency there are 25 fulltime staff members including four division heads…additional expenses Culver City does not need…
I may be a bit short on time,
But I’d like to leave you with a rhyme
And just once more reiterate
Let’s mediate, not litigate..!
Dr. Hoult may be contacted at HOULTight@aol.com
