City officials want tighter restrictions on Ellis Act evictions

City officials are exploring new ways to protect tenants evicted from rent-controlled units and hold landlords more accountable.

City Council’s Housing Committee unanimously approved a preliminary ordinance tightening restrictions on how and when landlords can evict tenants under the state’s Ellis Act, the law allowing building owners to mass-evict tenants if units are being removed from the rental market, Curbed reported.

The proposed new rules would include a provision requiring developers to replace rent-controlled units with affordable housing in projects built after the demolition of buildings being vacated under the Ellis Act.

Landlords would also have to pay for the relocation of evicted tenants and file annual reports with the city on the status of units withdrawn from the rental market.

The committee also asked the city attorney to work with the Housing and Community Investment Department (HCID) and the city’s Planning Department on finding ways to improve enforcement of Ellis Act violations.

HCID said it received more than 300 Ellis Act applications last year, resulting in the removal of about 1,400 rent-controlled units from the market. [Curbed] — Subrina Hudson