CITY HALL — A measure which would have raised taxes on the sale of million-dollar homes failed Tuesday night.
Measure H was favored by Santa Monicans for Renters' Right (SMRR), the city's largest political party, but opposed by Residocracy, a new political group that has opposed several substantial development agreements.
Measure HH, its companion measure, appears to have passed, though narrowly, based on early election results. HH is meaningless without the passage of H, however. Its sole purpose was to advise city officials to put that new tax money toward affordable housing.
Measure FS, which will force landlords to pay half the rent control registration fee, appears to have passed by about 500 votes, based on the semi-official election results.
Once official, FS will also raise the maximum annual fee that the Rent Control Board can ask for to $288. Currently, the fee is $175 and landlords only pay $19 worth of it.
The measure's passage guarantees that renters will pay lower rent control fees next year.
dave@www.smdp.com
