Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Expands Tenant Protections for Renters in Marina del Rey,
Other Unincorporated Areas of the County

Rent Freeze, Eviction Moratorium, Rent Stabilization Ordinances Provide Additional Protections for Tenants During COVID-19 Emergency and Beyond

LOS ANGELES – On Tuesday, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors issued an executive order placing a temporary rent freeze on eligible residential properties in the unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County―including Marina del Rey―in response to the COVID-19 health emergency. The temporary rent freeze is the latest in a series of protections the Board has enacted to protect renters, including an eviction moratorium and rent stabilization ordinances for multi-family units and mobilehomes.

The temporary rent freeze means that owners of multi-family housing properties built before February 1995 in unincorporated Los Angeles County may not increase the rental cost for their tenants until May 31, 2020, unless extended.

“People have enough to worry about right now, with COVID-19. They shouldn’t also have to fear ending up on the streets because they can’t pay rent,” said Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, who authored the motion calling for the rent freeze, now in effect. “With this motion, the County is taking urgent and necessary steps to help people stay housed and prevent the coronavirus from exacerbating our affordable housing shortage and the crisis of homelessness.”

This follows the Board’s actions from March 18, 2020, in which a temporary moratorium on certain residential and commercial evictions in unincorporated Los Angeles County was enacted. The eviction moratorium, which is effective from March 4 to May 31, unless extended, includes a ban on evictions for:

• Nonpayment of rent, if the tenant can show they have been financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic due to:
  • A diagnosis of COVID-19 or caring for a household or family member who is diagnosed with COVID-19
  • Layoff, loss of hours, or other income reduction resulting from business closure or other economic or employer impacts of COVID-19
  • Compliance with a recommendation from the County’s Health Officer to stay home, self-quarantine, or avoid congregation with others during the state of emergency
  • Extraordinary out-of-pocket medical expenses related to diagnosis and testing for and/or treatment of COVID-19
  • Child care needs arising from school closures related to COVID-19
• A no-fault reason, which encompasses evictions where the notice to terminate tenancy is not based on alleged fault by the Tenant, unless necessary for health or safety of the tenant, neighbors, or the property owner

As directed by the Board of Supervisors, several L.A. County departments are also exploring options to expand and strengthen this eviction moratorium.

“I want to assure L.A. County residents that I have heard your pleas for help and am responding to support our families affected by COVID-19,” said Supervisor Hilda L. Solis. “Without the County’s intervention during this crisis, we could see the number of unhoused individuals in Los Angeles County skyrocket due to evictions, which is why I introduced a Board motion this week to expand L.A. County’s eviction moratorium. I will continue to protect our most vulnerable, rent-burdened households who are on the brink of homelessness.”

April 1 also marks the effective date of the permanent Rent Stabilization Ordinance and Mobilehome Rent Stabilization Ordinance in unincorporated L.A. County. The ordinances limit the amount of rent increases and extend eviction protections for eligible rental units and mobilehomes in the unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County.

“In addition to our eviction moratorium and rent freeze order during the COVID-19 crisis, permanent rent stabilization is now in place in our unincorporated areas. These measures will protect renters and mobile home residents alike from unexpected rent hikes while still guaranteeing landlords a reasonable return on their investments,” said Supervisor Janice Hahn.

The Los Angeles County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs is committed to the fair enforcement of these directives and ordinances, and will work to educate renters and property owners of the new rules.

“The COVID-19 health emergency has negatively impacted so many in Los Angeles County. Some of our neighbors will have a very hard time paying their rent on time, let alone a rent increase,” said Joseph M. Nicchitta, Director of DCBA. “We applaud the Board of Supervisors for their leadership in protecting renters during this period of uncertainty and instability.”

As part of the eviction moratorium, tenants must notify their landlord within seven days after their rent is due that they are unable to pay due to a loss of income related to COVID-19. Tenants must pay back any rent owed within six months after the moratorium ends.

To find out if a property is in an unincorporated area of Los Angeles County, use the “Find Your District” feature at https://lavote.net/apps/precinctsmaps and select “District Map Look Up By Address”.

If you have questions about the rent stabilization ordinance or other landlord-tenant issues, please visit us online at rent.lacounty.gov, contact us at (833) 223-RENT (7368) or email us at rent@dcba.lacounty.gov

Since 1976, the County of Los Angeles Department of Consumer and Business Affairs (DCBA) has served consumers, businesses, and communities through education, advocacy, and complaint resolution. We work every day to educate consumers and small business owners about their rights and responsibilities, mediate disputes, investigate consumer fraud complaints, and enforce Los Angeles County’s minimum wage and rent stabilization ordinances. For more information, visit dcba.lacounty.gov.

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