LA to temporarily ban evictions for “substantial remodeling”

Tenants in Los Angeles won a temporary victory as their landlords are now barred by the city from evicting them over major renovations.

The City Council unanimously voted on an ordinance launched by Council member Bob Blumenfield to temporarily bar landlords from booting tenants in order to complete a “substantial remodel,” City News Service reported.

The eviction ban during renovations will last through Aug. 1, while city staff work on a permanent solution to “close a loophole” proponents say allows investors to kick out tenants for remodeling, then jack up rents. To take effect, it will require approval by Mayor Karen Bass.

David Kaishchyan of the Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles said the policy will force renters to live in dangerous conditions, while tying the hands of responsible owners.

“This ordinance is a result of a witch hunt by extremists that want to force mom-and-pop owners out of business,” Kaishchyan told the council.

He claimed data from the city’s Housing Department show that “renovictions” are a “hoax,” with less than 100 substantial remodels occurring in the past two years.

“We strongly urge a ‘no vote’ on this outrageous moratorium that once again rips the rug out from under housing providers and shows the city to be unreliable and openly hostile to them,” Kaishchyan said.

The ordinance will retroactively apply to tenants, meaning it could provide a defense in court for renters who have yet to receive judgment for this particular eviction proceeding, according to City News.

The city deems a substantial remodel as a “no-fault” eviction, in which tenants in good standing can be evicted if their unit requires major structural, electrical, plumbing or mechanical system work.

Property owners must self-certify that it will take 30 days or more to complete such projects.

Landlords of rent-stabilized units, however, must provide a plan to temporarily relocate tenants if the unit requires a substantial remodel. The plan must be submitted to the Housing Department, and the tenant has to agree before it can be carried out.

Last year, the council approved a motion introduced by Blumenfield, who called for the temporary ban on evictions for substantial remodels, saying an ordinance would “close a loophole.”

“Hundreds of families are caught in this type of eviction process, with no ability to keep their units,” Blumenfield said in a previous statement. “My policy will ensure that a tenant has the ability to maintain tenancy, keep paying rent and stay in their apartments.”

Council members worried that some units taken off the market for remodeling are added later at higher rents.

The City Council also instructed the Housing Department to provide information on how many property owners are applying for substantial remodels, how many projects have been completed and how many evictions are caused by efforts to electrify units.

Laura Matter, a senior staff attorney with Inner City Law Center, said many renters in L.A. are facing eviction proceedings related to substantial remodeling efforts.

“This is a provision that investors use to flip properties and it goes against the purpose of Just Cause Ordinance, which was to prohibit arbitrary evictions,” Matter told the council.

— Dana Bartholomew