Page 41 - AAGLA-MAY 2022

Local Advocacy Update
Local Advocacy Update
By Danielle Leidner-Peretz, Director, TGovernment Affairs & External Relations
Southern California on a multitude of critical issues affecting rental housing. Summarized below are some of the issues that will be coming up, that were recently considered or that have been approved in Los Angeles County, or in the cities of Los Angeles, Bell Gardens, Beverly Hills, Pasadena, Oxnard, and West Hollywood.
City of Los Angeles Local Emergency and Related Emergency Measures Extended, Simultaneously We Await Housing Department Report on Plans to Phase- Out Eviction Moratorium
On March 30, 2022, the Los Angeles City Council once again extended their local emergency for another 30 days and through that extension, the City’s eviction moratorium and rent increase freeze ordinances continues as these ordinances’ expiration are directly tied to the expiration of the local emergency. Councilmembers Buscaino and Lee maintained their opposition to the extension. At this time, the City Council’s requested Housing Department report “on recommendations and possible amendments to the eviction moratorium” and data on the emergency rental assistance program inclusive of the number of Los Angeles City residents on the program’s waitlist and individuals who may have qualified for rental assistance but have not received assistance from either the State or City programs” remains pending.
The circumstances of today are diametrically different from what existed in 2020 when the City adopted these emergency measures. Accordingly, since last year, the Association has repeatedly called for the City Council to separate the City’s eviction moratorium and rent increase freeze ordinances expirations from the expiration of the local emergency and set a date for both ordinances to be lifted.
Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Seeks to Establish a Rental Housing Habitability and Rent Escrow Account Program
At the April 5th Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors meeting, the Board of Supervisors advanced a motion directing several County Departments to begin the process of establishing a Rental Housing Habitability and Rent Escrow Account Programs. The motion introduced by Supervisors Kuehl and Mitchell stated that the “County currently has a disconnected, patchwork
he month of April reflected a continued focus on local eviction moratoriums, rent increase freezes, and local rent control.
In 2020, several cities in Southern California adopted local moratoriums on evictions and/or rent increases where the expiration
of these ordinances are tied to or contingent upon the expiration of the local jurisdiction’s declaration of local emergency, and which to date remain in effect. Among those cities are the cities of Beverly Hills, Pasadena, Los Angeles, and West Hollywood.
In April, the cities of Beverly Hills and Pasadena took action to end their local eviction moratoriums and the City of Beverly Hills also took steps to end their rent increase freeze. The Beverly Hills City Council voted to adopt an ordinance ending their eviction moratorium and rent increase freeze on May 31, 2022. The Pasadena City Council directed staff to return with an ordinance to end their residential eviction moratorium on June 30, 2022. The City of Los Angeles’ eviction moratorium and rent increase freeze remains unchanged and in place. In the City of West Hollywood, the City Council raised and postponed taking any action relative to ending the City’s rent increase freeze pending release of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) in June.
Due to the myriad of jurisdictions, each with differing rules, we encourage members to confirm the status of any local moratoriums / rent increase freezes in localities in which you have property and consult with an attorney with questions related to specific tenancies and the applicability of local ordinances.
On the issue of local rent control, the Oxnard City Council voted to adopt a rent control ordinance and “just cause” tenancy termination regulations and the Bell Gardens City Council directed the City’s Rent Control Ad Hoc committee to continue exploring options to impose local rent control and to draft an ordinance that would include potentially limiting permissible annual rent increases based on the CPI with a maximum annual increase of 5%, and the creation of a rent control board.
Our Association is continually monitoring and advocating for our members interests in localities throughout
APARTMENT AGE • MAY 2022 41