Los Angeles County is moving to boost affordable housing groups in the apartment sales process.
On Tuesday, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to begin drafting the Community Opportunity to Purchase Act, which would require owners of certain apartment buildings in unincorporated areas to notify qualified affordable housing organizations when they decide to sell, LAist reported. The proposal, if approved after a final vote, is intended to give nonprofits, community land trusts and affordable housing developers a chance to compete for properties that might otherwise be acquired by institutional landlords.
Supervisor Hilda Solis, who introduced the measure, framed it as a response to mounting affordability pressures, pointing to data showing that more than half of county renters are considered rent-burdened. “The county is facing rising displacement pressures as rents outpace incomes,” Solis said. “We need to have tools to keep people in their homes.”
The proposal would apply only to buildings with five or more units in unincorporated communities including East Los Angeles, City Terrace and Altadena. Based on recent sales activity, county officials estimate it would affect roughly 30 to 130 transactions each year.
County staff now have 180 days to develop the program’s rules, including a registry of eligible buyers. Officials are also weighing whether those organizations would receive a formal right of first refusal, similar to San Francisco’s preservation program, which gives qualified buyers five days to express interest and 20 days to submit an offer. Property owners would still be free to accept higher bids from other purchasers.
The measure drew pushback from landlords and brokers, who argued it could inject delays and uncertainty into transactions without producing new housing. Some warned investors could steer capital away from unincorporated Los Angeles County if additional regulations complicate acquisitions.
“No private party in their right mind is going to invest in a market that looks like the equivalent of the ‘Hotel California’ song, where investors can check in, but it’s not clear they can ever leave, or on what timeline,” landlord Meg Sullivan told LAist.
Tenant advocates countered that community-based organizations are capable of making competitive offers while keeping units affordable over the long term. Supervisor Holly Mitchell also urged staff to craft rules allowing properties to be marketed publicly while affordable housing groups evaluate potential purchases, seeking to minimize disruptions to the sales process.
The proposal mirrors preservation programs in cities including San Francisco and Washington, D.C., where supporters say such laws have helped protect affordability, though critics note they have rarely resulted in tenants ultimately owning their buildings. Solis wishes for the county to execute a phased rollout, with the initial portion eventually growing to include a way for tenants to purchase their buildings directly.
— Chris Malone Méndez
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