Page 44 - AAGLA-MAR 2022

Local Advocacy Update
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The City’s eviction moratorium and rent increase freeze has been in effect since 2020 and is currently set to expire upon the expiration of the City’s local emergency, a date unknown. The eviction moratorium prohibits evictions based on non-payment of rent where the renter demonstrates substantial financial hardship due to COVID- 19, and no-fault reasons unless for health and safety. Renters are provided with one year from the end of the local emergency to repay unpaid deferred rent. The City also has a broad ban on rent increases for rental units subject to the City ‘s Rent Stabilization Ordinance, regardless of whether or not the renter is financially impacted by COVID-19 in effect through the end of the City’s local emergency.
During the deliberations, the Council recognized that the circumstances had changed since these emergency measures were adopted and that the eviction moratorium and rent increase freeze should end. The Council also raised concerns relative to vulnerable City renters who may continue to need assistance. The City had previously established a local rental assistance program and approximately $700,000 in funding remains available from that program. The Council agreed that those funds and potentially additional funds should be allocated to assist City residents who may need further assistance following the expiration of the City’s eviction moratorium and rent increase freeze. In the end, the City Council directed staff to return with an ordinance that ends the eviction moratorium and rent increase freeze on May 31, 2022. The one-year rent repayment period would also commerce at that time.
With regard to allowing owners to recover annual permissible rent increases that were foregone due to the rent increase freeze, the City Council directed staff to establish a process for owners to gradually recoup missed increases over the next few years. It is anticipated that staff will return with a draft ordinance at a later date. We will continue to monitor this issue, advocate for our members interests and provide updates.
Oxnard City Council Takes Next Steps Towards the Adoption of Local Rent Control and “Just Cause” Eviction Requirements
At the February 9th Special Oxnard City Council meeting, the Council were presented with two draft ordinances: one to impose a local rent control ordinance and one to establish “just cause” eviction requirements. Following extensive public comment spanning 4 hours, the City Council gave City Staff additional direction regarding the draft ordinance’s provisions including the rent increase limitation, relocation fees for no-fault tenancy terminations, and whether the ordinances would be made permanent or subject to a specific sunset date.
Based on the Council’s deliberations, the following direction was provided to City Staff, the annual rent increase limitation will be 5%, the amount of relocation fees to be
paid for no-fault tenancy terminations will be $5,000- or two-months’ rent whichever is higher and both proposed ordinances will be subject to expiration on December 31, 2030.
In a letter submitted to the City Council prior to the meeting, the points of which were further reiterated during the meeting’s public comment period, the Association expressed strong opposition to any form of rent control or rent regulations, that rent control will not solve the City’s housing affordability gap, that rent control will decrease the quality and quality of rental housing in the City and will discourage development of new rental units. We also highlighted the tremendous financial cost of the proposed programs, estimated by City Staff at $1.2 million and urged the Council to recognize the enormous fiscal impact, overall detrimental long-term effects that rent control measures will have on the City and to seek a path forward through new and innovative housing solutions, not decades old, failed housing policies.
The Association recommended that the City Council allow for the State’s comprehensive rent control and renter protection law, Assembly Bill 1482, to operate unfettered for a reasonable amount of time in order to properly evaluate the overall impact and effectiveness of the State law within the City of Oxnard and only then determine, what if any, additional local action is needed. It is anticipated that the City Council will review and potentially adopt the final proposed ordinances in April. The Association will continue to strongly advocate for our members interests on this critical matter, engage in a dialogue with City Staff and City Council, and provide updates.
Long Beach City Council Amends No-Fault Eviction For Substantial Remodel Provisions
At the February 15th Long Beach City Council meeting, the Council adopted an ordinance amending the City’s “Just Cause” tenancy termination ordinance’s no-fault eviction for substantial remodel provisions. The amendments require rental housing providers to submit a list of all the renters whose tenancies would be terminated in connection with the permitted work to the City as a condition of the issuance of all necessary permits, increases permanent relocation fees to $4,500 or two-months’ rent, whichever is greater and imposes civil fines of up to $15,000 on rental housing providers who have violated the “just cause” ordinance’s substantial remodel tenancy termination provisions. During the same meeting, the City Council also voted to adopt an ordinance to end the City’s temporary moratorium on no-fault evictions for substantial remodel on March 17, 2022. The moratorium had been put in place as an interim measure while the City evaluated the issue.
It is important to note that the City of Long Beach is subject to the Los Angeles County’s Eviction Moratorium which Please turn to page 47
44 MARCH 2022 • WWW.AAGLA.ORG