LA Downtown News Online: Conversion Confusion--Concerns Arise When a Rental Complex Goes Condo

Nancy Levy sent this on, and it includes a little from me:

...residents said the process so far has been difficult, with confusion over the precise timing of the transition. While representatives from building owner Hammer Ventures defend their work and say care has been taken to keep everyone informed, the situation exposes the Achilles heel of condo conversions: miscommunication and rumors...Evan McKenzie, a political science professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago, and the author of a book on homeowners associations and urban developments, said that when an apartment building goes condo, many tenants feel as if they are being kicked out, although myriad state and local laws strictly forbid such a practice. In fact, condo conversions require approval from the city, at least a nine-month process in Los Angeles. McKenzie said that rumors start when tenants aren't up to date with housing laws or the terms of their lease. "Sometimes they don't understand what their rights are," said McKenzie. "A lot of times this is confusing because people don't read things or understand them."