The plan is being floated by the recently formed GlendaleApartment Association. One key component would allow owners toraise a tenant's rent only once a year, and another would requirecontracts signed by owners and tenants to specify the maximumamount that rent could be raised the following year.

Such provisions are common in office and industrial leases. Butthey have never before been incorporated into residential rentalcontracts, says Herbert Molano, the apartment association'spresident.

Molano, an apartment owner himself, helped to create theassociation earlier this year. He says the plan would provide a newlayer of protection for tenants by preventing new owners fromimmediately raising rents when a property is first acquired, andwould also help tenants by letting them know how much their rentcould rise over as many as 24 months.