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Ktown residents lose parking to new housing units
A proposed conversion of parking spots to additional dwelling units in a Koreatown apartment building has led to a dispute between residents and property management.
LOS ANGELES - Finding street parking in Koreatown is hard, and it's one of the reasons people renting in the area try to make sure a space is included in their lease. But residents at apartment buildings in the area are getting notices that they're losing their parking, which is to be turned into additional dwelling units, or ADUs.
Under Assembly Bill 1211, which went into action after the governor signed it late last year, a property owner doesn't have to provide replacement parking when converting a garage, carport, or covered parking structure into an ADU.
Residents at one building off Kingsley are refusing to move their vehicles, setting up a protest site and claiming they have a right to appeal the process.
Joel Rodstein, with the company managing the property, sent FOX 11 a statement:
"While we understand the tenants’ concerns, we have and will continue to comply with and follow all LAHD (Los Angeles Housing Department), LADBS (Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety), and state requirements to add the additional dwelling units (ADU). California gave landlords the opportunity to add additional units by converting existing spaces of the building to units to combat the housing shortage. This effort to provide housing for the community with a severe housing shortage does come with its challenges for landlords and tenants. During the process of applying and receiving the approval of the ADU units, LAHD and LADBS have approved the Tenant habitability plan which governs how we go about the construction process. In addition, while tenants will be losing their parking to achieve the additional housing, LAHD has already approved the monthly rent concession for the loss of parking at a rate of $200 per month per tenant. The city has already heard the appeal of tenants and gave the approval to continue with the construction. Please find the attached hearing officer’s determination. As you can see, all tenants received a copy of the determination along with our 14-day notice of the start of construction.
It goes without saying that we do not want any tenant to leave, nor have any plans to ask any tenant to leave the property unless they violate a lease term. We are hoping our tenants will cooperate with the project and looking to put this difficult situation behind us for all parties involved and provide additional housing for a city who is thousands of units short to combat the demand."
That neighborhood falls under City Councilmember Heather Hutt's District, which sent its own statement:
"The ADUs on 501 S. Kingley is being built by-right due to SB1211. Our office is monitoring this situation. The permit was pulled two months ago, and our office will work with the Department of Building and Safety to ensure it will be built to City standard and building code."
"They need to do more," says Lauren Seely, who has lived at the Kingsley building for 11 years. "This is not about providing more affordable housing; it's about making more money," she adds, "and ultimately pushing out rent-control tenants."
For senior citizens like Tom Stiles, who has lived in his rent-controlled unit for more than 30 years, it's about mobility. The bill allows the conversions because there's public transportation nearby. Still, he says seniors need their vehicle parked next to where they live, not blocks away or wherever they can find parking.
"It's a noble effort," he explains, "but a zero-sum game for us, who are losing on this one."