After fire Ripped through the Pacific Palisades and Altadena in January, the concern increased on the measure where the effects are propagated and if the crisis of the affordability of the region's housing would worsen.
Not only were thousands of houses destroyed, but also many companies, leaving some unemployed and nervous people could not pay rent. Gardeners, nannies and cleaning women who worked in now destroyed houses have also lost income.
On Tuesday, the Los Angeles municipal council refused to adopt large and specific expulsion protections for the city for people whose income was affected by fires, in the midst of a debate on the terrible situation that the situation is really and how the new rules could affect the owners of Maman-et-Pop.
But the tenants of Los Angeles are not Without life buoy. Last week, the Comté supervisor council adopted its own measure which gives certain expulsion protections of tenants in all communities and cities not constituted in the county, including the city of Los Angeles.
If you are a tenant affected by fires, here is what you need to know.
What protections do I have? If you are a tenant anywhere in the County of Los Angeles, the owners are not allowed to expel you for non-payment of rent if you have been financially injured by fires and to respond to several other qualifications.
On the one hand, to receive these protections, your household must have made 150% or less from the median income in the area in 2024 (around $ 147,000 for a family of four) and the fires had to make you lose directly at least 10% of the average payments of your household.
In addition, you must have experienced in your unit before January 7 and do one of the following things: actively seek a job or request financial assistance, which could include unemployment benefits, a county fire relief fund or another program.
Tenants must also inform their owner in writing of their inability to pay the rent due to the fires within seven days of the rent law. If you have already missed the February rent, the calendar is a little different. You must inform your landlord by March 4 that the reason why you missed the rent last month was the fires. More information on the rules, including what describes a person as being “directly” injured by fires, is available here.
How long will these protections last? Until July 31, 2025.
Is there anything else that I should know? Yes, the rules do not prevent the owners from depositing an expulsion case in court. Instead, they offer tenants a defense so that they can show a judge that they are not supposed to be expelled.
If you receive an opinion that your owner has submitted an expulsion file against you, answer quickly. If you ignore it, the court may approve an expulsion.
If you benefit from the new rules, you must reimburse the rent you need. Tenants can contact Stay hosted To help navigate new protections.
