Renters Again Protest at City Council on May 26

A large, loud group of many of the same renters' advocates who were at the Friday meeting appeared and some spoke at Public Comment on May 26 and engaged in threats, accusations, condemnation and insults to members of the Council for not approving a rent freeze. The rationale was that they would all be homeless--along with countless elderly and children--on July 1, 2010. Of course, that date will come and go and it is doubtful that any of them will receive a rent increase that will cause them to not have a roof over their heads. All I could think was, I certainly hope these people are not truly representative of the renters in this city.

Two people were present to speak for the apartment owners, Bill Hooey, President of the Fair Housing Coalition and Phyllis Daugherty, a member of AAGLA. There was no scheduled item on the agenda, so all presentations took place in the two-minute Public Comment period near the beginning of the meeting. Council President Eric Garcetti wisely kept the wave of emotion by the renters dissipated by interjecting testimony of others, including those speaking for rental owners.

I would suggest everyone view the event on Friday (May 21) and today (May 26) by going to www.lacity.org and then down the home page to the Council meetings live. It will make you even more determined to have a voice. If you do not participate in shaping your future and these people are left to coerce and threaten without opposition, I guarantee you will not be able to survive as a rental-property owner in this city.