Inglewood Mayor James Butts has pulled off a small victory for some Inglewood residents. Malin Asset Management has agreed to modify rent increases issued to residents living in their Inglewood properties at the Mayor’s request. Although 2UrbanGirls found this to be a small victory, Inglewood residents remain adamant its not enough and are demanding a rent stabilization ordinance that the Mayor said he would introduce in a couple by January 15th.
Inglewood property owners are watching Mayor Butts actions closely and are concerned they will be on the receiving end of either him demanding the same concessions for their tenants or an implemented rent ordinance that would curb their ability to charge higher rents.
Mayor Butts has done nothing to address the issue of commercial business owners being charged higher rents. Instead the mayor took to social media to argue with the owner of Jamz Creamery, about their increase, despite the ice cream parlor naming a shake after Butts. Jamz Creamery benefitted from their close relationship to Mayor Butts. They received “free” placement in Inglewood Forward mailers, paid for by Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, which promoted their business. Jamz Creamery also received a “Best of Inglewood” award, sponsored by Metro where Mayor Butts will soon serve as Chairman, despite their being open for less than a year at the time of the award. 2UrbanGirls is willing to bet that friendship has soured with the public back and forth after their appearance on Channel 7.
Jamz Creamery must not have known that the above sweetners, courtesy of Mayor Butts, meant keeping his mouth shut when the media came calling.
When Soul Food restaurant M&M’s cried foul when their rent increased from $6k to $14k, the mayor said the community shouldn’t get riled up over the potential closure of ONE business then proceeded to post stats of the new businesses that have opened in the city.
Mayor Butts negotiated for residents to receive relocation fees, in the amount of $10,000, and/or relocation to other Malin owned properties, in Los Angeles, that have rent control. Residents living at 621 E. 99th Street and 435 W. Regent, in a two bedroom, would see their rent increase from $1150 to $1475 by July 1, 2019 and to $1795 in March 2020. One bedrooms would see increases from $960 to $1195 and peak at $1450 on the same schedule.
Its nice to see Mayor Butts provide a solution to investors to get residents out of Inglewood for a lump sum, but residents find that to be one-sided. Mayor Butts needs to follow through on the rent stabilization ordinance to ensure ALL residents are protected. Not just ones who owners are based in Santa Monica where Butts previously served as Police Chief.
Malin Asset Management fell in line with the mayor too quickly. Many perceive this as a coordinated effort to ensure the mayor appeared to be looking out for residents, when in fact this “agreement” is looking out for investors. Will Mayor Butts implement a rent stabilization ordinance or was this a manufactured incident to draw attention away from his shredding police records and paying out a $8.6 million dollar settlement that was NEVER on the city council agenda for approval?
