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PROVIDED BY THE APARTMENT ASSOCIATION OF GREATER LOS ANGELES
JANUARY
SURVEY REVEALS 2 OUT OF 3 AMERICANS RELOCATED DURING THE PANDEMIC
People Have Been Moving Largely Due to Remote Work Opportunities
A survey of 1,250 adults examined several factors that influenced people to move to a new home during the pandemic. The survey found that more people are now working and learning from home, which has created the need for additional living space and sparked what has been dubbed “The Great Relocation.”
According to the survey, only 33% of respondents remained at their current dwelling, while 67% moved out of their homes between March 2020 and October 2021. Most people who moved to a new home cited the need for more space as a significant factor. 37% of survey respondents stated they moved into larger homes. In contrast, only nine percent of people who relocated moved to a home with similar square footage, and 6% moved into smaller homes.
Survey results indicate that 39% of respondents moved because of remote work, with many looking for more space to set up an at-home office. Alternatively, 25% of respondents were also motivated to live in a different location and say remote work provided that flexibility. Some domestic migrants have adopted a nomadic lifestyle, with 7% forgoing a permanent residence.
Conversely, financial hardship forced many respondents to downsize or give up their homes entirely with 21% of respondents moving because of pandemic-related financial setbacks. Among people who moved into smaller homes, 33% cited money challenges. This concern was also the primary reason for those who moved in with family members (30%) or those living with no permanent residence (44%).
StorageUnits.com commissioned this survey to identify relocation habits among adults during the pandemic.
CITY OF LONG BEACH LOSES LEGAL APPEAL OVER TRANSFERRING OF SEWER AND WATER FEES
In a lawsuit that will likely be appealed to the California Supreme Court, Long Beach’s longtime practice of transferring excess water and sewer fees to pay for other city services was deemed unconstitutional by an appellate court. The City has transferred such excess fees for decades; however, in recent years, Long Beach residents have challenged the practice.
In a statement, the City said that it disagrees with the ruling. Long Beach residents have characterized the practice as an illegal tax. Under the court’s ruling, the city is being required to set aside $9 million of the transfer funds in an escrow account
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APARTMENT MANAGEMENT MAGAZINE - JANUARY 2022 CS-1