Pasadena landlords can no longer get away with evicting tenants without helping them move

Pasadena landlords must now pay relocation fees for tenants they want to evict, after city officials closed a loophole in the city’s tenant protection law.

Prior to the change, landlords could avoid paying tenants’ moving costs if they provided 30 days notice before evicting them. As a result, only 91 Pasadena tenants received moving assistance in the past 13 years.

The costs for landlords could range from $1,894 to $4,454 per tenant. Tenants with household incomes in excess of 140 percent of the median income for Los Angeles County will not qualify for the benefit.

Landlords can only evict if they plan to demolish the building or remove the unit from the rental market.

Los Angeles City is also considering legislation that would better enforce the Ellis Act, which requires landlords to pay for the relocation of evicted tenants. The proposed new rules would require developers to replace rent-controlled units with affordable housing and file annual reports on the status of the units stripped off the rental market. [Pasadena Star-News] — Cathaleen Chen