February 1st is a critical date for thousands of renters in Los Angeles as the city’s COVID-19 renter protections come to an end. Renters are required to settle their outstanding rent from October 1, 2021, to January 1, 2023, or potentially face eviction. This situation has raised concerns about a looming eviction crisis, as highlighted by Conway Collis, President and CEO of Mayor’s Fund for Los Angeles.

City Council Takes Action to Prevent Evictions

To address the impending crisis, the Los Angeles City Council has unanimously approved a new law aimed at safeguarding tenants who are awaiting financial assistance from the city’s recent rental aid program. The law, passed with a 13-0 vote, prevents landlords from evicting tenants dealing with overdue rent accrued between October 21, 2021, and January 31, 2023. The protection period spans 120 days from the February 1 deadline for rent repayment.

The law’s scope is limited to tenants awaiting financial disbursement from the specified time frame and only shields against evictions related to rental debt. It does not extend to pending rental assistance applications outside this period, leaving those applicants vulnerable to eviction if they face just cause eviction scenarios.

Approval Process and Legislative Background

Although the City Council has endorsed the law, it awaits Mayor Karen Bass’s approval before becoming enforceable. The legislative process began with a motion presented on January 24 by Council members Eunisses Hernandez, Paul Krekorian, Nithya Raman, and Hugo Soto-Martinez. The motion called on the city attorney’s office to draft the ordinance and instructed the Housing Department to report on mechanisms ensuring landlords who accept city rental assistance funding do not evict tenants owing less than fair market rent.

Before the vote, Council members Imelda Padilla and Curren Price were absent. The law’s potential impact on tenants and the city’s housing crisis prompted a robust discussion, leading to its approval with an amendment.

Financial Responsibility and Application Statistics

Eunisses Hernandez, a key proponent of the law, emphasized the financial responsibility of keeping tenants in their homes, citing the significant cost of re-housing individuals. The city’s Housing Department reported over 31,362 applications, totaling approximately $472 million in claims for Measure ULA’s Emergency Renters Assistance Program. Despite the application period ending in late October 2023, only $7.9 million had been disbursed as of late January.

Hernandez stressed the need to fulfill the program’s purpose and provide a lifeline to thousands of tenants, urging colleagues to protect the most vulnerable individuals at risk of homelessness in the city.

Delays in Rental Assistance Distribution

Housing Department officials acknowledged potential delays, estimating that it could take several weeks, if not months, to distribute all the rental assistance funds to applicants. The concern over funds not reaching those in need underscores the urgency of the new law in preventing unnecessary evictions.

Safeguarding Vulnerable Tenants and Concluding Remarks

In conclusion, the approval of the new law by the Los Angeles City Council represents a crucial step in safeguarding vulnerable tenants amid the expiration of COVID-19 renter protections. As the city grapples with the challenge of distributing substantial rental assistance funds, this legislative measure aims to prevent unnecessary evictions and provide much-needed financial relief to renters facing hardships. The coming weeks and months will reveal the effectiveness of this intervention in maintaining housing stability for Los Angeles residents.