Hirschfield v. Cohen
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Plaintiff purchased four contiguous lots in Santa Monica in 1994. In 2004, Planitiff demolished the structures and erected four single-family homes. In 2009, Plaintiff rented one of the units to Defendant. At issue in this case is whether Plaintiff's property was subject to the City of Santa Monica’s (City) rent control law. The trial court found that it was.
The Second Appellate District affirmed, finding that because the house is an “accommodation” under section 7060.2(d) of the Ellis
Act; it was constructed on the same property as the five former rent-controlled units; and it was offered for rent within five years from when the five units were withdrawn from the rental market. The legislative history of the Ellis Act makes clear the Legislature intended to discourage landlords from evicting tenants from rent-controlled accommodations under the false pretense of leaving the rental business.
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