May 29, 2025: ULA COC Transmits Statement of Concern to City Council
At its regular meeting on Thursday, May 29, 2025, the United to House Los Angeles Citizens Oversight Committee (ULA-COC) approved a motion to direct the Los Angeles Housing Department (LAHD) to transmit a statement of Concern about AB 698: Local Taxation: Real Property Transfers on behalf of the COC to the City Council. The transmittal can be found in Council File CF#23-0829.
The Committee moved to approve the motion to transmit a statement with the following language to City Council:
The Citizens Oversight Committee has concerns about the draft language in Assembly Bill 698 “Local Taxation: Real Property Transfers.”
The measure would affect transfer taxes throughout the state, including Measure ULA. While the bill language is not yet final, the COC’s understanding is that the amended language may impose exemptions to existing transfer taxes like Measure ULA, limiting the measure’s ability to raise funds that facilitate housing production, income support, tenant organizing, alternative models, and homelessness prevention.
The COC understands that the bill is informed, in part, by what the COC believes is a premature assessment of the effects of ULA, including an assumption that the measure is responsible for reduced property tax revenues.
The analysis that informs this conclusion does not account for the full effects of ULA’s implementation and does not adequately acknowledge that this voter-approved measure provides critical funding for affordable housing production and homelessness prevention.
As directed by Measure ULA, SEC. 22.618.6.(c)(3), the COC will undertake an independent evaluation of the effects of Measure ULA The COC looks forward to engaging with the issues raised in the aforementioned preliminary studies of Measure ULA.
The COC urges the City Council to consider standing in opposition to any action that rests on an incomplete analysis of Measure ULA.
The motion was approved with 7 – yes and 0 – no votes. The following Committee Members voted to approve the motion:
Michelle Espinosa Coulter, Chair
Zerita Jones, Vice Chair
Nancy Lewis
Alma Morales
Jeanne Nishimoto
Leilani Reed
Kristal Romero
At the May meeting, the COC also approved the following motions:
Item 8- Action: Approve Selected Contractor for Auditing Services
Item 9- Action: Approve Additional Ad Hoc Assignments
The COC tabled Item 10- Action: Fiscal Year (FY) 2025-2026 Chair and Vice Chair Appointment to the July 2025 meeting.
For any questions regarding these motions, please reach out to the Interim Inspector General at ulacoc.ig@gmail.com.
