Just when we are all having some real difficulty believing in the power of government to do more than tax and otherwise burden us, L.A. city government decides to remind us of what it can do within a short time when it is in the mood.
This year, the California state legislature and the governor approved A.B. 1482, which prohibits the raising of housing rents in California by more than 5 percent plus inflation, and mandates that landlords must demonstrate “just cause” before ousting renters, which goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2020. Clearly, this is a major change in the housing market and it effectively overturns the dreaded Costas-Hawkins law which has been an ice pick in the back for renters in most of California for over 25 years.
That passage precipitated a rash of sudden evictions, complaints about rent gouging, and other problems for Los Angeles renters, and renters in other parts of California, as landlords and land owners tried to do as much damage and grab as much cash as they could from renters before the first of the year.
Led by Ninth District Councilman Curren Price, after a week-and-a-half of furious governmental activity, the Los Angeles City Council just unanimously passed an emergency ordinance that prohibits “no-fault” evictions throughout L.A. before A.B. 1482 takes effect in January. This law, which went into effect on Oct. 23rd, will prevent a crash of brand new homeless victims just as the holiday season is coming upon us.
Councilman Price, to his credit, co-authored the motion that became the new law after hearing from his constituents loud and clear, calling for tenant protections. With other city leaders and renters entering the fray quickly, the City Attorney’s Office transmitted the ordinance in less than a week.
Additionally, Councilman Price’s effort supports providing emergency rental assistance to individual needy tenants and provides for setting up a new program to investigate how to prevent the growth of homelessness in Los Angeles.
Kudos to Mr. Price and to the L.A. City government for a job well done. Now we know you really can get things done, and quickly, when the task is important enough and the timing is right.
Councilman Price quoted this statement, and it deserves being repeated here:
“We are living in turbulent times where it has become increasingly challenging for Angelenos to keep a roof over their heads. People at the mercy of some unscrupulous landlords who have been taking advantage of their desperate situations. Stories are flooding in of individuals having to resort to living in substandard conditions. There are too many residents who are one step away from homelessness.
Today’s action prevents further hemorrhaging of our current housing crisis by giving the power back to the people of the City of Los Angeles.”
Here’s hoping this will not be the last time our city and state government stands up and shows us what it can really do.
Professor David L. Horne is founder and executive director of PAPPEI, the Pan African Public Policy and Ethical Institute, which is a new 501(c)(3) pending community-based organization or non-governmental organization (NGO). It is the stepparent organization for the California Black Think Tank which still operates and which meets every fourth Friday.
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