Governor Gavin Newsom extended the price of protection protection on rental housing Thursday, while the senior official of the law enforcement promised to reprimand the owners who ignore the rules, increasing the rent following the County of Los Angeles devastating fires.
Under California's law, prices governing protections are triggered during the state of emergency and generally prohibit owners, the hotel and motels to charge more than 10% more than that they billed or published before the crisis.
The protections were to expire in February, but Newsom published on Thursday a decree which extends them to the county of the county until March 8.
According to the Attorney General of the State, these protections will also be in place elsewhere if the fires create an additional housing request outside the county.
Since Flames broke out last week, A wave of Los Angeles County owners have increased rent on their properties far beyond what rules allow, including increases by more than 50%, according to online announcements.
The announcements were widely shared on social networks and sparked the calls for tenant organizations and even certain groups of owners for the authorities to continue.
“The actions of some bad players tarnish our entire industry and exploit vulnerable families who find it difficult to rebuild themselves,” Tom Bannon, chief executive officer of California Apartment said on Wednesday in a statement. “We support efforts to strengthen sanctions for offenders and encourage strict application of the law.”
At a press conference Thursday, California Atty. General Rob Bonta said that his office actively investigated numerous prices for complaints and that the offenders noted up to a year in prison and criminal fines of $ 10,000 per violation.
Bonta cited a History of Los Angeles Times From Wednesday, this quoted an agent saying that his client had noted the rent beyond the threshold of 10%, in part because the customer did not think that the authorities would continue.
“This client is so wrong,” said Bonta.
“We will continue where the laws have been raped,” he said. “Don't think we bluff and try to call it. You will regret it.”
In addition to an extension of price gouging protections, the executive order of Newsom seeks to accelerate the construction of housing after fires, taking additional measures to those It is already announced. The new rules include rationalization of the construction of ADUs on the properties destroyed by fires and accelerate the temporary housing authorization process.
“Like thousands of residents of Los Angeles have been faced with a sudden trip, our condition will do everything it can to help provide accommodation and assistance as quickly as possible,” Newsom said in a statement. “Today, we accelerate the creation of new temporary housing by removing road dams and strengthening the protections against exploitation.”
