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AirTalk

Apartments made on the cheap might get permit amnesty

(File photo) Currently, 76% of landlords in Los Angeles refuse to accept vouchers, according to a 2018 study by the Urban Institute.
Landlords and tenants in Los Angeles are often at odds, but they are coming together to support a new plan allowing permits for illegal apartments.
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Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
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Listen 17:54
Apartments made on the cheap might get permit amnesty

Landlords and tenants in Los Angeles are often at odds, but they are coming together to support a new plan allowing permits for illegal apartments.

There are countless dwellings that either are not up to code or were built before permits were mandatory. Advocates for low-income renters say as long as the apartments are safe, they should be considered lawful. However, some homeowners associations say laws governing apartments were meant to protect quality of life for entire neighborhood — ensuring sufficient parking and recreation space. Barbara Broide, president of the Westwood South of Santa Monica Blvd. Homeowners Association, says some apartment owners have converted recreation rooms into apartments in a city with a scarcity of park space.

Guests:

James B. Clarke, Executive Vice President, Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles

Barbara Broide, President of the Westwood South of Santa Monica Blvd. Homeowners Association