L.A. plans end to COVID-19 protections against evictions, rent hikes

https://www.latimes.com/homeless-housing/story/2022-08-31/l-a-plans-end-to-covid-19-tenant-protections

Los Angeles may wind down many of its COVID-19 protections against evictions and rent increases by January, ending what has become some of the nation’s strongest and longest-lasting tenant safeguards during the pandemic.

Starting in 2023, landlords will once again be allowed to evict tenants for not paying their rent even if they’ve fallen behind for COVID-19-related circumstances, under a proposal released by the city housing department last week. The plan also calls for tenants living in rent-controlled apartments in the city — about three-quarters of the apartment stock — to once again face rent increases the following year, in January 2024.

“As we recover to a new normal, the city must provide clarity to both landlords and renters on the timeline when current and past-due rent must be repaid and temporary eviction restrictions lifted,” the report reads.

If passed by the City Council, the proposal would put L.A. back in line with many cities in California and across the country that have repealed or let expire renter protections enacted when the pandemic began in spring 2020. At the time, citing the risk of widespread homelessness because of COVID-19’s economic damage, local, state and federal leaders passed a battery of rules against evictions and rent hikes.



I hope they don't just get thrown to the street. Hopefully local services will be ready to step in.