Reports Of Rent Gouging Due To Southern California Wildfires

In Southern California, The San Diego Union Tribune reported about two weeks ago:

• North County real estate agent Christine Richards described the race to find rentals in areas hit by wildfires as “a feeding frenzy.” “On Wednesday and Thursday, I probably had 60 phone calls,” said Richards, who handles rentals. “You see a lot people raising rents, unfortunately. The prices jump up a couple of thousand dollars in houses that don't rent for that much. If someone requested me to do that, I would cancel the listing.”

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• [The San Diego County Apartment Association] posted a notice at warning landlords that raising rents by more than 10 percent during a declaration of emergency is a crime punishable by a $10,000 fine and/or up to a year in jail. The rent restriction remains in effect for 30 days.

For more, see Rental hunt 'a feeding frenzy' (It might be hard to find places near burn areas).