LA City Council passes emergency help, protection for renters
LOS ANGELES - The Los Angeles City Council voted to halt rent increases for tenants living in rent-stabilized units for the next year.
The rent-hike freeze applies to an estimated 624,000 units in buildings that were built in 1978 or earlier. The City Attorney's Office has 30 days to draft an ordinance that would freeze rent hikes for units protected by LA’s Rent Stabilization Ordinance.
The City of LA has enacted a moratorium on evictions in place through May 31. The moratorium applies to non-fault residential and commercial evictions in the county and unincorporated areas due to the loss of income related to the coronavirus.
The move is aimed to protect tenants who find themselves unable to pay rent due to loss of work amid the virus outbreak.
The Los Angeles City Council also voted to create a “Renter’s Relief Fund” to help low-income renters impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.
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Council President Nury Martinez dedicated $1 million from her council district discretionary funds to contribute to the fund.
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Councilman Mitch O'Farrell also contributed $1 million from his district and Councilman Herb Wesson put in $150,000.
Martinez hopes the relief fund will start helping Angelenos by the time the state's Stay at Home and city's Safer at Home orders are lifted.
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