§ 8.52.020. Definitions.

A.

"Average per-unit capital improvement cost" means an amount determined by dividing the cost of the capital improvement by the total number of dwellings in a complex with respect to which the cost was incurred, irrespective of whether all such dwellings are subject to this chapter.

B.

"Average per-unit rehabilitation cost" means an amount determined by dividing the cost of the rehabilitation, less any off-setting insurance proceeds, by the total number of dwellings in a complex with respect to which the cost was incurred, irrespective of whether all such dwellings are subject to this chapter.

C.

"Capital improvement" means the addition or replacement of the following improvements to a rental unit or common areas of the housing complex containing the rental unit, provided such new improvement has a useful life of five years or more: roofing, carpeting, draperies, stuccoing the outside of the building, air conditioning, security gates, swimming pool, sauna or hot tub, fencing, garbage disposal, washing machine or clothes dryer, dishwasher, children's play equipment permanently installed on the premises, and other similar improvements as determined by the regional planning department. The regional planning department shall develop and submit to the board for approval regulations as to what constitutes a "capital improvement."

D.

"Dwelling unit" means a group of two or more rooms, one of which is a kitchen, designed for occupancy by one family for living and sleeping purposes.

E.

"Efficiency dwelling unit" means a room located within an apartment house or apartment hotel, used or intended to be used for residential purposes, which has a kitchen and living and sleeping quarters combined therein.

F.

"Guest room" means any habitable room except a kitchen, designed or used for occupancy by one or more persons and not in a dwelling.

G.

"Housing services" means services connected with the use or occupancy of a rental unit, including, but not limited to, utilities (including light, heat, water and telephone), ordinary repairs or replacement, and maintenance, including painting. This term shall also include the provision of elevator service, laundry facilities, and privileges, common recreational facilities, janitor service, resident manager, refuse removal, furnishings, parking, and any other benefits, privileges or facilities.

H.

"Landlord" means an owner, lessor or sublessor (including any person, firm, corporation, partnership or other entity) who receives or is entitled to receive rent for the use of any rental unit, or the agent, representative or successor of any of the foregoing.

I.

"Maintenance costs" means costs to repair existing buildings or equipment which were a part of the rental unit or rental unit complex at the time of the tenant's original occupancy, with the exception of those items defined under "capital improvements" or "rehabilitation work."

J.

"Rehabilitation work" means any rehabilitation or repair work done on or in a rental unit, or common areas of the housing complex containing the rental unit, and which work was done in order to comply with an order issued by the county engineer, the county public health department, or the county fire department, to repair damages resulting from fire, earthquake or other natural disaster.

K.

"Rent" means the consideration, including any bonus, benefits or gratuity, demanded or received by a landlord for or in connection with the use or occupancy of a rental unit, or the assignment of a lease for such a unit, including but not limited to moneys demanded or paid for parking, furnishings, housing services of any kind, and subletting.

L.

"Rental units" means all dwelling units, efficiency dwelling units, guest rooms and suites in the unincorporated areas of the county of Los Angeles, together with the land and buildings appurtenant thereto, and all housing services, privileges, furnishings and facilities supplied in connection with the use or occupancy thereof, including garage and parking facilities. This term shall also include mobile homes, whether rent is paid for the mobile home and the land upon which the mobile home is located, or rent is paid for the land alone. The term shall not include:

1.

Housing accommodations in hotels, motels, inns, tourist homes and boarding and rooming houses, provided that at such time as an accommodation has been occupied by one or more of the same tenants for 60 days or more, such accommodation shall become a rental unit subject to the provisions of this chapter;

2.

Housing accommodations in nonprofit cooperatives owned and controlled by a majority of the residents;

3.

Housing accommodations in any hospital, convent, monastery, extended medical-care facility, asylum, nonprofit home for the aged, or housing accommodations owned, operated or managed by an institution of higher education, a high school, or an elementary school for occupancy by its students;

4.

Housing accommodations which a government unit, agency or authority owns, operates or manages, or which are specifically exempted from county rent regulation by state or federal law or administrative regulation;

5.

Housing accommodations located in a structure for which a certificate of occupancy was first issued after July 1, 1979;

6.

Single-family dwellings.

M.

"Rent increase" means an increase in rent or any reduction in housing services where there is not a corresponding reduction in the amount of rent received. The regional planning department shall promulgate regulations as to what constitutes such "corresponding reduction."

N.

"Tenant" means a tenant, subtenant, lessee, sublessee, or any other person entitled to use or occupancy of a rental unit.

O.

"Suite" means a group of habitable rooms designated as a unit and occupied by only one family, but not including a kitchen or other facilities for the preparation of food, with entrances and exits which are common to all rooms comprising the suite.

(Ord. 2006-0040 § 34, 2006; Ord. 83-0089 § 2, 1983: Ord. 82-0058 § 1, 1982; Ord. 82-0056 § 1, 1982: Ord. 12346 § 2, 1981; Ord. 12148 § 1 (part), 1980: Ord. 11950 § 2, 1979.)