The following information is sourced from the Los Angeles Housing Department website and the City of Los Angeles Renter Protections Notice. Source links can be found at the end of this article.
Eviction Moratorium & Rent Freeze Update
The City of Los Angeles COVID-19 eviction protections for non-payment of rent have expired. Beginning April 1, 2023, renters must pay their full current monthly rent to avoid eviction for non-payment of rent. Renters still have time to pay back COVID-19 rental debt accumulated from March 2020 through March 2024.
Annual rent increases are currently prohibited for rental units subject to the City of Los Angeles Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RSO) through January 31, 2024.
Non-Payment Of Rent
Tenants must pay their full monthly rent beginning February 1, 2023. However, low-income renters who could not pay their rent due to COVID-19 financial impact continued to have eviction protections through March 31, 2023 if they notified their landlord within 7 days of the rent due date and provided proof of income.
At-Fault Evictions
Effective January 27, 2023, all renters in the City of Los Angeles have eviction protections, which
means that landlords must provide a legal reason for eviction. Tenants in rental units not subject to
the City’s Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RSO) are protected at the end of their first lease, or 6
months after the commencement of their initial lease, whichever comes first.
Allowable at-fault eviction reasons include nonpayment of rent; violation of a lease/rental agreement;
Causing or permitting a nuisance; using the unit for an illegal purpose such as drugs & gangs;
failure to renew a similar lease; denial of access into the rental unit; being an unapproved subtenant
at the end of the tenancy; and failure to comply with an approved Tenant Habitability Plan (THP).
Eviction protections for unauthorized pets and additional tenants due to COVID-19 continue
through January 31, 2024.
No-Fault Evictions
No-fault eviction reasons include: for occupancy by the owner, family member or a resident
manager; compliance with a government order; demolition or permanent removal from the rental
housing market; or to convert the property to affordable housing. Landlords are required to submit a Declaration of Intent to Evict to LAHD for all no-fault evictions for all rental units, submit required fees, and pay the tenant relocation assistance.
Relocation Assistance
Relocation Assistance is required for tenant no-fault evictions for all residential units. Relocation assistance for tenants who rent a Single Family Dwelling (SFD) is one month’s rent if the landlord is a natural person who owns no more than 4 residential units and a SFD on a separate lot.
A landlord can deduct a tenant’s unpaid rental debt from the relocation assistance payment.
Rent Increases Under the RSO
Landlords of RSO properties can resume allowable rent increases effective February 1, 2024. No banking or retroactive rent increases are allowed.
Beginning April 1, 2023, landlords may collect new LAHD approved cost recovery surcharges, provided a 30-day written notice is served to the tenant.
Rent Increases Under the State Law
Some non-RSO rental units are subject to State Single Family Dwelling owned by natural persons One
month’s rent law AB1482, which applies to properties built more than 15 years ago. The maximum rent increase is 10% for rent increases effective 8/1/2022 to 7/31/2023
Notice to Terminate Tenancy (Eviction Filing)
Effective January, 27, 2023, any written notice terminating a tenancy must be filed with LAHD within three (3) business days of service on the tenant per Los Angeles Municipal Code 151.09.C.9 & 165.05.B.5. All no-fault evictions can be filed at https://housing.lacity.org/eviction-notices
Evictions For Non-Payment of Rent
Effective March, 27, 2023, landlords may not evict a tenant who falls behind on rent unless the tenant owes an amount higher than the Fair Market Rent (FMR). The FMR depends on the bedroom size of the rental unit. For example, if a tenant rents a 1bedroom unit and the rent is $1,500, the landlord cannot evict the tenant since the rent owed is less than the FMR for a 1-bedroom unit.
Use this link for the “City of Los Angeles Renter Protections Notice” https://housing.lacity.org/protectionsnotice
Source – housing.lacity.org