Letter to Equity Residential
Hi Everyone,
This morning I made the lease renewal team at EQUITY RESIDENTIAL aware of our petition. I asked for them to hear us, what we were facing, and to understand that the rent increase of 8.6% they are forcing up on us, with the only excuse of the LA housing market, is not decent!
I am copying below the content of the email that was sent. I know it was received and read. I have not heard back at this point.
"Dear (First Name + Last Name of my contact) and Equity Residential Team,
I am reaching out this time not only for me but for my community at Versailles Apartments, many of which are experiencing financial hardship due to the situation we are facing as you know.
I talked to families, students, other single moms…. A lot of people have no one to advocate for them and are losing sleep and health over EQUITY RESIDENTIAL dismissing them simply by saying that this is the housing market in LA, take it or leave it.
The kind of increase you are asking for is unsustainable for families who want to stay and build a good community as tenants for a few years.
Let me give you my example so that you realize what this represents. As you know I have a son in 1st grade and a daughter in TK at the local school.
I pay 2,625$ for a 2-bedroom apartment. At an 8.6% annual rent increase, If I want to stay in this apartment and neighborhood, I will be paying $4,306 a month by the time my daughter (currently in TK) reaches 5th GRADE !!
All the families here who want to stay here are in the same boat!
We can discuss for hours THAT THIS IS THE LA HOUSING MARKET BUT THIS IS UNSUSTAINABLE PLEASE PUT YOURSELF IN OUR SHOES.
I understand that for now, some families including myself have the possibility to apply for Covid Rental Relief but while our application is pending , we are creating debt, we are losing sleep, and in the end, if COVID rental relief (which is almost out of funds) is reimbursing EQUITY RESIDENTIAL, it’s government money just helping you make more insane profits, while you are not even making any financial effort towards families who reach out.
This is also the reason why I am copying Congressman Brad Sherman to this request.
This now brings me to trying to take action and help other people here, because you need to understand that this is NOT ABOUT ME, THIS IS ABOUT GIVING US A BREAK TO “CREATE A COMMUNITY THAT THRIVES” –
Isn’t that EQUITY RESIDENTIAL’s mission statement?
I HAVE JUST STARTED AN ONLINE PETITION WHICH YOU CAN FIND HERE:
https://www.change.org/versailles-rent
I have reached 249 signatures, I am no longer alone in this. And I will keep on getting more!
Here are the first 4 points that we are requesting:
- Rent freeze for 2022
- Rent increase for 2023 capped at 3%
- Residential parking was FREE until last year, now lots of new residents signing NEW LEASES have to pay for parking $50 a month, which is a subtle way of increasing rents even more. RESIDENTIAL PARKING SHOULD BE FREE.
- This financial help to be absorbed by Equity Residential and have no consequences in terms of salaries or hours on current Versailles Apt employees (Management, Maintenance and Cleaning Crew) – They are doing a stellar job and we would like to keep it that way. This is also why I am also copying our community manager so that they know that their work and efforts are appreciated.
We are begging you to read this carefully to bring this up to top decision makers so that they understand that we are tight, united and in need of reasonable help.
Trust me I wish that I didn’t have to publicly showcase this kind of vulnerability and lots of people are often too scared to do this. But after going through a divorce with 2 small children in the middle of a Pandemic, I might be hurt, I might be anxious, but I AM NOT SCARED AND I WILL KEEP ON ASKING.
We look forward to hearing from you.
All the best,
Agatha Altarovici"
