The Los Angeles City Council voted Wednesday to create an ordinance that would allow people to defer monthly payments on storage units if they’re unable to pay due to loss of work or reduced hours as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Renters of storage units would have three months following the end of the local emergency orders to repay any missed rent, and during that time storage unit companies would be prohibited from destroying or auctioning off personal property kept in storage.
“Storage units might not be top of mind right now, unless you have one,” said Councilman David Ryu, who introduced the motion. “These units can hold the most important items in a person’s life, and right now, many are unable to keep up with the payments.
“For our unhoused neighbors, these units may hold the only things they have,” the councilman added. “No one should have to worry that their personal belongings will be lost during this pandemic, and we need to do what we can to stop storage unit evictions.”
The City Attorney’s Office will bring a draft ordinance before the council for a vote within the next few weeks, according to Ryu. The council voted to mark the proposed ordinance as “urgent,” meaning it would go into effect as soon as Mayor Eric Garcetti signs it, if he chooses to do so.