Photo: VALERIE MACON/AFP/Getty Images
The Board of Supervisors this week approved expanding Covid-19 eviction protections for renters, and promoting rental assistance programs for tenants and landlords.
This motion by Supervisors Hilda Solis and Lindsey P. Horvath extends existing protections against evictions for non-payment of rent due to COVID for low-income tenants through the end of March and for unauthorized occupants and pets.
These protections seek to mitigate the devastating impact of covid-19 on the real estate market.
“We all recognize that the covid-19 pandemic has drastically disrupted our families and our economy while disproportionately impacting the most vulnerable. To that end, we must lead with compassion to prevent people from falling into homelessness,” Supervisor Solís said.
“While I am deeply disappointed that the entire Board of Supervisors did not support a six-month extension to our emergency eviction protections, I remain committed to addressing the crisis before us.”
He specified that the approved motion will protect against illegal evictions stemming from pets and unauthorized guests, and also identifies $5 million from the County Affordable Housing Trust Fund and/or American Rescue Plan Act funds to support small home owners.
Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath said with the magnitude of people still getting sick, out of work and dying from this emergency, it is essential that we keep people in stable housing.
“Continued and expanded protections are critical for both tenants and landlords, and the cost and consequences of doing nothing will be dire. We simply cannot afford to abandon our most vulnerable residents facing these compounded crises.”
Days ago, the Los Angeles City Council had voted unanimously for new tenant protections just days before they were set to expire on February 1.
The main components of municipal protections are:
- Universal Just Cause: All tenants in the city will no longer face eviction unless there is “just cause” such as non-payment of rent, documented lease violations, owner moves, or other specific reasons. These protections were already in place for renters living in rental units built before 1978, but the new provision will extend to an additional 400,000 new households living in newer buildings. Just cause protections will take effect after six months or when the lease expires, whichever comes first. In cases where landlords evict tenants without approved cause (called a “no-fault” eviction), the landlord must pay the tenant’s relocation costs.
- Relocation Assistance for Tenants Subject to Large Rent Increases: In cases where a landlord increases the rent of a non-rent controlled unit by more than 10%, this new policy requires the tenant to pay relocation expenses. This policy is specifically designed to combat rent speculation in cases where rent control cannot be enforced.
- Minimum allowable amount for non-payment of evictions: Landlords will not be able to evict tenants who are even slightly behind in rent. Eviction would only be allowed if non-payment exceeds one month’s fair market rent (currently $1,747 for one bedroom, $2,222 for two bedrooms).
- Additional Pets and Tenants: Roommates and pets adopted during the pandemic not authorized by the owners or in violation of a lease or rental agreement will be allowed to stay on the premises for another year. The Council approved an extension through January 30, 2024.
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Sarah Beatriz López, a tenant who had trouble paying rent for her Van Nuys apartment last year, managed to get the State to support her with three months’ rent through the California Covid-19 Relief Fund, whose resources have already been exhausted.
“These new protections are only half good. In reality they are insufficient. They wouldn’t take my worry away if I was going through the situation I experienced last year when I couldn’t pay my rent because I lost my job due to the pandemic.
He said that he understood the part of small landlords who rent their houses or apartments, but it is not fair that poverty is punished by a pandemic that was not created by the tenants.
Ana Rosa Gutiérrez and her husband Víctor Gutiérrez rent a house in East Los Angeles.
“Fortunately, the couple to whom we rent the house have always paid us promptly since 2010 when they moved to live on our property.”
Of course, Ana Rosa commented that her tenants did not like it when they were forced to increase their rent.
“We raised them $25 after 4 years of zero increases, and they were not happy, they said they were going to sue us and that they would change. I told them to do what was best for them.”
He said that they have also been tenants, and for this reason they try to be very conscious with the couple to whom they rent their house.
“We don’t know the details of the new county protections, but hopefully we never have to resort to an eviction or apply for any help from the government because our tenants can’t pay their rent.”