• Facebook
  • Google Plus
  • Instagram
  • RSS Feed
  • Twitter

Menu

Skip to content
  • About
  • Staff
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • FAQ
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
Header image

MyNewsLA.comLogo

Breaking news for greater Los Angeles and Orange County

Menu

Skip to content
  • Crime
  • Government
  • Business
  • Education
  • Sports
  • Hollywood
  • Life
  • OC
  • Attempt to Overturn Flavored Tobacco Sales Ban Qualifies For Ballot
  • Mega Millions Drawing Held; Jackpot Reaches $1 Billion
  • Body Of Infant Found In Trash In Perris
  • State Parole Board Panel Recommends Parole for Ex-Manson Follower
  • Orange County's Second Vaccine Mega Site Set To Open Saturday

Home » Business » This Article

LA Council Directs Attorney to Expand Stop on Rent Increases through Pandemic

Posted by Contributing Editor on April 23, 2020 in Business | Leave a response
Share this article:
Facebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedinmail

In the ninth hour of its meeting, the Los Angeles City Council voted to have the City Attorney’s Office draft an ordinance that would halt rent increases for units protected by the city’s Rent Stabilization Ordinance for 360 days.

Initially, motions were filed by Councilmen David Ryu, Mike Bonin and Marqueece Harris-Dawson that would have put a temporary stop to rent increases on all residential rental units, not just the ones protected by the stabilization ordinance. However, Deputy City Attorney David Michaelson said that may not be legal under the state law limiting rent control, the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act.

The motion to include all units received six yes votes and seven no votes with two council members recusing themselves Wednesday night. RSO units are defined as rental units built in 1978 or earlier.

“My experience has been that this council … and the city is best when this council does things that are big and does things that are bold and pushes the envelope,” Bonin said, alluding to Los Angeles raising the minimum wage years ago.

One argument made by Bonin was that per a memo sent to him and other council members, the city has the authority to enact the temporary ban on rent increases under Gov. Gavin Newsom’s emergency COVID-19 orders, but that was not the opinion of the City Attorney’s Office.

Harris-Dawson said it’s a bit hypocritical for the city not to at least try to legislate on behalf of the renters.

“All of us, to a person, at one point or another … we’ve bragged that we quickly and expediently shut down the city, and we did it in time enough for Los Angeles to flatten the curve,” Harris-Dawson said.

“When we did that, what we said to everyday people was `You can’t go make a living … because the safety of the entire community is at risk.

“And now fast-forward a month later, we now are saying we’re too impotent to stop your landlord from raising your rent while we told you, `You can’t go to work.’ We know for a fact that when people go back to work, they’re not going to get paid double.”

Like this story? Don’t miss any breaking news from MyNewsLA.com. Sign up here for your free newsletter.

 

The California Judicial Council halted all eviction proceedings earlier this month but landlords continue to initiate them.

The city’s ban on evictions protects tenants from no-fault evictions until the end of the pandemic and they are not required to show proof of financial hardship, but tenants are still receiving “threatening letters with strong-arm offers for bad deals or new lease terms,” the three councilmen said.

As the city’s orders require people to pay back the rent they owed within 12 months of the end of the pandemic (commercial tenants have three months), Bonin and Ryu recommended the city should convert unpaid rent incurred during the pandemic into consumer debt, which can’t be obtained through an unlawful detainer process.

However, Michaelson again said that would be equivalent to an illegal complete rent freeze where landlords could not try to acquire what they’re owed.

Another motion was proposed by the councilmen to prohibit landlords from serving eviction notices or by locking their doors, turning off utilities and other measures, unless there is an issue of health and safety.

Those motions also failed to pass.

The City Attorney’s Office has 30 days to return with the draft ordinance for council consideration.

The City Council will meet again Wednesday.

LA Council Directs Attorney to Expand Stop on Rent Increases through Pandemic was last modified: April 23rd, 2020 by Contributing Editor

>> Want to read more stories like this? Get our Free Daily Newsletters Here!

Follow us:
Facebooktwitterrss
Posted in Business | Tagged attorney, council, Directs, expand, Increases, Pandemic, rent, stop

Advertisement

Get The Latest News by Email!

Sign up here for our free newsletters. We’ll send you the latest headlines every morning and every weekday afternoon.

 
FORECAST FOR LOS ANGELES
52°
Clear
Feels like: 52°F
Wind: 0mph ENE
Humidity: 75%
Pressure: 29.93"Hg
UV index: 0
SatSunMon
55/43°F
59/45°F
57/39°F
Weather forecast Los Angeles, California ▸

Most Popular Today

  • Desperate Women Sexually Battered, Touched, Fondled by Pasadena Marriage Therapist: Four Years In Prison! 2,800 views
  • Riverside Man on Dirt Bike Dies in Crash with SUV 2,200 views
  • Rape, Oral Copulation Of Unconscious Woman Who Then Died In Pomona: Homeless Suspect Charged 2,000 views
  • Man Charged in Deadly Home Invasion Robbery near Murrieta 1,200 views
  • Felon Who Crashed into Sheriff’s Patrol Car During Failed Getaway Sentenced 1,000 views

©2021 CalNews Inc.

Menu

  • About
  • Staff
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • FAQ
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service