10/24/2026
Private terraces and rooftop views may no longer be enough to lure Los Angeles’ luxury renters.
At The Mercer, a 17-unit West Hollywood apartment building that opened in July, the latest enticement is food: $2,500 to spend at Erewhon, the upscale grocer whose expensive smoothies and organic groceries have made it something of a Los Angeles status symbol.
The offer is a colorful take on a tactic known as concessions that’s only grown more popular as landlords across the nation face sharper competition for apartment renters.
Beyond the standard free rent offerings, Los Angeles landlords are dangling gym memberships, gift cards and ride-hailing credits to secure leases.
The promotion isn’t necessarily worth more than the free-rent packages offered elsewhere. That’s beside the point, according to Erik Edeen, principal and senior director of U.S. investment sales at Avison Young.
“If somebody puts everything into a spreadsheet, they may find that several months of free rent is worth more,” Edeen said. “But that’s not necessarily the entire point. You’re trying to create some stickiness and give somebody a reason to choose your building and stay there.”