‘Selling Sunset’ Star and Real Estate Agent Jason Oppenheim: Landlords Are Exploiting Wildfire Crisis
Jason Oppenheim, star of Netflix’s reality television series Selling Sunset and President/Owner of Oppenheim Group, a high-end real estate brokerage firm in Los Angeles and San Diego has been speaking up about the troubling situation in Los Angeles right now with landlords taking advantage of residents who lost their homes.
Jason Oppenheim: “Landlords have been illegally raising prices”
As reported by BBC, Oppenheim mentioned that he sent a client to look at a property where he knows the asking rent is $13,000 per month. However, upon his client visiting the property, he said, “[My client] offered $20,000 a month and he offered to pay six months upfront, and the landlord said, ‘I want $23,000.’”
Oppenheim also mentioned the price gouging laws in California, but “they’re just being ignored right now, and this isn’t the time to be taking advantage of situations.”
Aside from speaking up about landlords illegally ripping off displaced L.A. residents, Oppenheim also announced his firm is offering their services free of charge for those affected by the wildfires.
He captioned the post, “If you’ve lost your home in the Los Angeles fires and you need to find a place to rent until your home is rebuilt, all Oppenheim Group agents will represent you for free or credit you back any commission we receive in the transaction. Please reach out to us at office@ogroup.com.”
He also said how they have an “obligation to help” since thousands of people have lost their homes and that “Real estate agents need to come together and work hard for the community. This is our time to be able to give back.”
Joe Cilic, a real estate agent from Sotheby, also shared with NBC News that property owners have been “leasing emergency housing at exorbitant prices.” Cilic, who also had to lease a new home for himself and his family, said, “In a normal marketplace, you can do that. After a disaster, it’s a crime.”
Executive Order for Price Gouging
According to Deadline, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an “Executive order to try to prevent fraud and price gouging and speed the inspection process so those who have lost their homes can get their insurance claims.” Newsom also states that the executive order will also eliminate California Environment Quality Act requirements, in addition to addressing property tax assessments. He said it’s “To make sure when someone rebuilds that they have their old property tax assessments and that they’re not increased.”
