The Los Angeles City Council voted Wednesday to increase the fees charged to condominium developers that want to relocate apartment dwellers of rent-controlled units. The council voted 9-5 to increase the fees, in some cases triple the previous amounts charged, and requires developers to provide relocation packages as the city studies a permanent plan. The new fees are $6,810 to tenants who have occupied their unit for fewer than five years; $9,040 to those who lived there more than five years; and up to $17,080 to tenants with an income of 80 percent or below the media income. The plan passed Wednesday is a second proposal after property owners voice opposition to a plan that would have paid the same fee to all tenants regardless of how long they were in the unit. Valley council members Wendy Greuel and Tom LaBonge were among those that voted against the measure. It now awaits another council vote April 11 and action by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. The increase was proposed in response to a growing concern about property owners evicting tenants from apartments and turning the units into condominiums.
