Support for Rent Control

Hoping to defuse a potent weapon for secession opponents, about 100 candidates for mayor and council in the proposed San Fernando Valley city have signed a pledge to adopt Los Angeles-style rent-control laws if voters approve a municipal breakup.

Word that rent control has the support of 99 of the 111 Valley candidates came as the Southland Regional Assn. of Realtors on Tuesday announced its endorsement of the secession proposal on the Nov. 5 ballot.

The Realtors’ endorsement and the “renters pledge” show that Valley cityhood has the confidence of business leaders in the area, but that renters will continue to enjoy protections offered by Los Angeles, said Mel Wilson, past president of the Realtors association and a candidate for Valley mayor.

“Affordable housing is something that we all are entitled to,” Wilson said at a news conference with 20 other Valley candidates outside a North Hollywood apartment building.

Los Angeles Mayor James K. Hahn and other secession opponents have said the potential loss of rent control is a key reason voters should reject a breakup. The issue has been important for secessionists because six in 10 Los Angeles residents are renters, and about 25% of the 480,151 rental units under the city’s rent controls are in the Valley.

Larry Levine, co-chairman of the anti-secession group One L.A., said the pledge does not reduce the uncertainty that would surround rent control in a Valley city.

“None of these promises are enforceable after an election,” Levine said. “I would caution voters that a bird in the hand is worth far more than what is hiding in the bushes.”

If secession wins, Los Angeles laws would remain in force in the Valley for up to 120 days. During that transition, the new city would be free to adopt its own ordinances. The same process would apply to Hollywood if voters approve the secession measure for that region, which is also on the Nov. 5 ballot.

Valley secession leaders began obtaining candidate signatures for the renters pledge in July. Hollywood independence backers say they also support rent control, and expect to secure similar pledges from most candidates running for a Hollywood city council.

Eight of the 10 mayoral candidates in the Valley have signed the pledge, including perceived front-runners Wilson and Keith Richman, a Republican assemblyman from Northridge.

“This is a big deal for all of us, to stand here today and say together, ‘We support rent control in the San Fernando Valley,’ ” Richman said. “But this gathering is more than that: It’s to say to Mayor Hahn ... ‘It’s time to stop your shameless lies and your fear-mongering for people of the San Fernando Valley.’ ”

Greg Roberts, one of the mayoral hopefuls who has not signed the pledge, said earlier that he supports rent control. The other holdout among the mayoral candidates, Bruce Boyer, said he is against rent control.

Ninety-one of the Valley council candidates have signed the pledge, four have refused to do so, and the others have yet to respond. The council and mayoral candidates would only take office if secession passes.

Kam Kuwata, an advisor to the mayor, said voters should be suspicious of the pledges because many of the Valley secession leaders have a history of opposing rent control. Among them is Valley VOTE Chairman Richard Close, a real estate attorney.

Levine said the emergence of the Realtors’ organization as a secession proponent should also cause unease because Realtors generally oppose rent-control laws. The association has not taken a position on Los Angeles’ rent-control law, said Jim Link, executive vice president for the group.

“Historically, Realtors have not been in favor of rent control, but secession is about more than one issue and we don’t see this [endorsement] as saying we are in favor of rent control,” Link said.