Rent Increases in State Outpace Much of the West

Average rents in Orange County and Los Angeles County range from $1400 to $1600 a month, and may increase approximately 6% this year. A strong economy is one of the reasons, but the conversation of over 11,000 apartments into condos is another. In recent years low interest rates allowed many renters to become homeowners so rents were not raised, but now with home prices and interest rates rising, renters are stalled as landlords raise rents to match the current market. And until more multidwelling units are constructed, a shortgage of rental units allows some landlords to play catch-up to the tune of rent increases of several hundred dollars a month.