I’m deeply concerned about sharp increases in evictions now that certain renter protections have ended as of this past Friday. As we work to bring Angelenos inside, we also have to work to prevent Angelenos from falling into homelessness.

In response, the City of Los Angeles has extended some of the emergency protections within the city limits and enacted new permanent protections to ensure that you have rights and are protected against unlawful eviction.

Even if you are not impacted by the end of the COVID-19 emergency protections, please share the information below with your networks. No one in our City should face any form of housing discrimination or an unlawful eviction.

There is a role for every one of us to play in the work ahead – which means we need to keep in touch! Please click here to sign up for updates directly from me. I look forward to working with you and Angelenos all across our City to get big things done together.

Karen Bass
Mayor of Los Angeles

THE EXTENDED AND NEW PROTECTIONS WILL: 

• Prohibit landlords from evicting tenants who fall behind on rent unless the tenant owes an amount higher than the Fair Market Rent (FMR). These FMR values are:

• Require that landlords provide, in writing, a legal reason for eviction;

• Extend eviction protections for unauthorized pets and additional tenants due to COVID-19 through January 31, 2024;

• Extend the suspension of rent increases in rent-stabilized housing until February 1, 2024, so your landlord CANNOT increase your rent until then IF you live in a rent-stabilized unit;

• Tenants who do not live in a rent-stabilized unit who receive a legal rent increase of more than 10% within 12 months, have the option to pay the rent increase or instead to have their landlord pay them relocation assistance to move out of their rental unit.

• Require landlords to file all termination notices with the Housing Department within 3 days of providing them to tenants.  The failure to file the notices provides an affirmative defense to an eviction.

• Require landlords to provide Notice of Renters’ Protections to new and renewing tenants and to post the notice in an accessible common area of the property.

IF YOU RECEIVE AN EVICTION NOTICE:

If you receive a 3-day notice to quit or pay rent, you should respond with the defenses that apply to your situation (e.g. no legal reason for eviction, COVID-19 protections, etc).

If your landlord serves you with an eviction complaint called an Unlawful Detainer, you must file an answer with the court within FIVE DAYS or risk losing by default, without ever getting to tell the judge about your defenses.

One of the easiest places to find help for an eviction is Stay Housed L.A., a partnership between the City of Los Angeles, local community groups, legal service providers, and Los Angeles County. The program provides free information and, where there are sufficient resources, legal assistance to tenants facing wrongful eviction. Income-eligible tenants receive the help they need to stay in their homes. For more information, visit www.stayhousedla.org.

JUST CAUSE EVICTION PROTECTIONS

The City has added protections prohibiting evictions other than for “Just Cause”. Even rental units built after October 1, 1978, that are not currently covered by the City’s Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RSO) are covered by the City’s new Just Cause Eviction Protections Ordinance. Tenants become protected at the end of their first lease, or after 6 months of continuous, lawful occupancy, whichever comes first. The new protections require that landlords must have a legal reason to evict a tenant. No-fault evictions that require the payment of relocation assistance include owner occupancy, government order, demolition, or withdrawal of the rental property from the rental housing market. Click here for a list of at-fault legal reasons for eviction. Click here for a list of no-fault legal reasons for eviction.

STATE LAW PROTECTIONS ON COVID-19 RELATED NON-PAYMENT OF RENT EVICTIONS:

Tenants who provided their landlord with a COVID-19 Related Declaration of Financial Distress Form by the 15-Day deadline for rent owed from March 1, 2020, through August 31, 2020, cannot be evicted for non-payment of rent from that period. However, a landlord can pursue a court action in small claims court for this rent. Tenants who provided their landlord with a COVID-19 Related Declaration of Financial Distress Form by the 15-Day deadline AND paid 25% of their rent to the landlord for rent owed from September 1, 2020, through September 30, 2021, cannot be evicted for non-payment of rent from that period. A landlord can pursue a court action in small claims court for the remaining rent.

COVID-19 RENTAL DEBT:

For tenants who are not covered by the Declaration of Financial Distress process described above, City law may continue to protect against eviction for unpaid COVID-19 rental debt under the following timeline:

• For unpaid rent owed from March 1, 2020, to September 30, 2021, tenants have until August 1, 2023, to pay the rent before an eviction may occur.

• For unpaid rent owed from October 1, 2021, to January 31, 2023, tenants have until February 1, 2024, to pay the rent before an eviction may occur.

WHERE TO GET MORE INFORMATION AND ASSISTANCE:

More information on these measures is available on the Los Angeles Housing Department (LAHD) website here.

LAHD will accept tenant complaints and inform landlords and tenants of the requirements of renter protections, and then conduct an investigation into the matter. Complaints will be assigned to a Housing Investigator, who will investigate the tenant’s claim and advise the landlord and tenant of their findings.

You can file a complaint with LAHD over the phone at (866) 557-7368 or online LAHD at: housing.lacity.org/residents/renters.

Photo from the Karen Bass for Mayor Campaign site