The Los Angeles City Council voted yesterday to lower the allowable rent increases on some 650,000 rent-stabilized units in the city.

The new formula endorsed by the city council will allow landlords to raise rents by 90 percent of the consumer price index (CPI), a common measure of inflation, with a maximum allowable rent increase of 4 percent. Landlords are guaranteed a floor of 1 percent annual increase under the new rules.

Under the old rent-stabilization formula, landlords could raise rents by 100 percent of CPI, with a maximum allowable annual rent increase of 8 percent. Landlords were guaranteed a minimum 3 percent annual increase each year.

Los Angeles' rent stabilization ordinance applies to rental properties built before October 1978. California also has a state-level rent con

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