Los Angeles, Ca

How to get a rent reduction from your Southern California landlord

Published

2 weeks ago

April 26, 2024

How to get a rent reduction from your Southern California landlord

Experts say that as rents have declined in some cities in Southern California, a region where most residents pay more than one-third of their income for leased housing, now could be a good time to ask your landlord for a rent reduction.

“Landlords, just out of the gate, are not going to offer to lower your rent, full stop. That very rarely happens,” rental expert Jonas Bordo told KTLA’s Kacey Montoya.

The author of “Everything You Need to Know About Renting But Didn’t Know to Ask,” Bordo says many renters believe the price is set in stone and are unaware that their monthly payments are flexible.

“The first thing to know is that your landlord doesn’t set the rent. It’s set by the market,” he explained. “It’s the landlord’s job to try to figure out what market rent is, but they generally don’t know. Usually, the renter has a much better sense of what the real normal rent should be for that rental.”

According to the author, getting your rent lowered is possible, but 90% of tenants never ask.

“It’s kind of like buying a car, the way you go in expecting it to be a negotiation. Think, ‘What does the landlord want in this situation?’” Bordo said. “This is a situation where you can and should negotiate.”

One thing tenants can do is find comparable units in your neighborhood 60 days before your lease is up and if the prices are lower, present that to your landlord, Bordo suggests. In some cases, he says, landlords will match the price or not increase the rent to avoid the costs that come with a tenant moving out, which can add up to two or three months’ rent.

Another suggestion he had was to sign a longer lease, if it makes sense for the tenant, because longer leases are more valuable to landlords.

“Sometimes you can lock in your existing rent rate, no increases for a couple of years, which is valuable to you,” Bordo said.

There might even be more opportunity to pay less rent in newer developments with hundreds of vacancies to fill, he added, because every day new developments have empty apartments, the more expensive it is for them.

A home for rent is seen in this undated file photo. (KTLA)

For anyone renting from homeowners, handling regular maintenance, such as maintaining the lawn or repairing small issues with the property adds a lot of value for landlords, especially those who don’t live near the home they’re leasing.

“I’ve kept my rent down by doing my own repairs or arranging the repairs myself,” said Susan Postnikoff, whose rent has only increased by $300 in the seven years she’s lived in her Hawthorne home.

Postnikoff told Montoya that she would gladly cover the cost of a $300 repair rather than have her rent increase by that amount each month.

“First of all, if you don’t ask, you are never going to get it. You have to ask,” Postnikoff added. “If you’re a great tenant, there’s no reason they wouldn’t want to keep you.”

Christopher Salviati from Apartmentlist.com believes the timing is now right for renters as there has been a cooldown in the market over the past year.

“We’ve looked metro-wide, rents are down 1.5% year over year,” he said. “So, it’s a pretty modest decline but there’s more softness in the market than there has been in a couple of years. Renters have more footing in the market than they have had in some time.”

Los Angeles, Ca

2026 Solar Eclipse: Princess Cruises to sail into totality

Published

5 hours ago

May 6, 2024

Press Room

2026 Solar Eclipse: Princess Cruises to sail into totality

Weeks after a total solar eclipse crossed over a large swath of North America, Princess Cruises is already making plans for the next one.

The cruise line will be in the path of totality when the August 2026 solar eclipse crosses over a small sliver of Europe.

The Sky Princess will be off the coast of northern Spain on Aug. 12, 2026, as part of a 14-day Mediterranean cruise. Those on board the 3,660-guest cruise ship will experience more than two minutes of total darkness during the astronomical event of a lifetime.

The Moon’s shadow covers portions of Canada and the U.S. during a total solar eclipse as seen from the International Space Station on Monday, April 8, 2024. (NASA)

The cruise line had two packed ships stationed off the coast of Mexico when the 2024 total solar eclipse passed over on April 8.

John Padgett, Princess Cruises president, said the best way to view an eclipse is at sea.

“Our guests who recently experienced this rare occurrence on Discovery Princess and Emerald Princess were simply blown away,” Padgett said. “We make it easy for guests to come aboard, relax and meet other eclipse enthusiasts. It’s truly a special opportunity.”

Tickets for the “Total Eclipse Sky Princess Voyage” go on sale May 23, with rates starting at $2,199 per person, taxes and port fees not included.

The cruise will depart from Southampton, England on Aug. 8, 2026 and will sail to Cherbourg, France; Bilbao and Cartagena, Spain; and Lisbon, Portugal — among other stops.

*The passenger cruise ship Sky Princess arrives at the French Mediterranean port of Marseille. (Getty Images)*

When the eclipse takes place, guests will be able to gather on the top decks of the massive ship to watch with safety glasses for viewing provided by the cruise line. The event will also feature lectures from astronomy experts, solar system trivia and themed treats and drinks, Princess said.

Padgett said the next eclipse cruise will be an experience to remember, but stressed that space on the ship is limited and the two recent eclipse cruises in Mexico were completely sold out.

More information about this cruise or other Princess Cruises can be found online at princess.com.

Los Angeles, Ca

Authorities detain multiple people in UCLA parking garage

Published

12 hours ago

May 6, 2024

Press Room

Authorities detain multiple people in UCLA parking garage

A group of people were detained on the third floor of a parking garage on the campus of UCLA Monday morning.

Information as to why the group was detained was not immediately released, however KTLA captured several individuals sitting on the ground with their hands zip-tied behind their backs.

A group of people were detained on the third floor of a parking garage on the campus of UCLA on May 6, 2024. (KTLA)
A group of people were detained on the third floor of a parking garage on the campus of UCLA on May 6, 2024. (KTLA)
A group of people were detained on the third floor of a parking garage on the campus of UCLA on May 6, 2024. (KTLA)
A group of people were detained on the third floor of a parking garage on the campus of UCLA on May 6, 2024. (KTLA)

At least two of the individuals were wearing matching lime green hats.

KTLA has reached out to the UCLA Police Department for more information but has yet to hear back.

This is a developing story. Stay with KTLA for updates.

Los Angeles, Ca

Woman stabbed multiple times in parking lot of Southern California store

Published

19 hours ago

May 6, 2024

Press Room

Woman stabbed multiple times in parking lot of Southern California store

A woman was rushed to the hospital after being stabbed by a 38-year-old man in a store parking lot Sunday in Culver City, authorities announced.

Officers with the Culver City Police Department responded to the 6100 block Slauson Avenue at around 2:45 p.m. after receiving multiple calls about an altercation.

At the scene, police discovered a female victim who had been stabbed numerous times and was losing a lot of blood. She was rushed to the hospital where she is currently listed in stable condition, according to a CCPD news release.

Police immediately began searching the suspect, setting up a perimeter in the area where the man had last been seen fleeing on foot.

The 38-year-old, who has yet to be identified, was found hiding in the bushes of Cougar Park, near Hannum and Slauson avenues and was taken into custody, police said.

Authorities say the preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect, whose city of residence is unknown, approached the victim in the parking lot and stabbed her several times before running away.

“The knife believed to have been used in the attack was recovered at the scene,” the release noted.

Police did not say anything about a possible motive, whether the suspect and victim knew each other or if the assault with a deadly weapon was a random act of violence.

The 38-year-old was booked at the Culver City Police Department jail for attempted murder.

Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact CCPD Public Information Officer Jennifer Atenza at 310-253-6120 or by email at jennifer.atenza@culvercity.org or the department’s Watch Commander at 310-253-6202.