City Council bars multifamily owners from removing tenants for renovations

Los Angeles leaders want to prevent multifamily landlords from using so-called "renovictions" as an excuse to remove tenants in the wake of the most destructive wildfires in California history.

The Los Angeles City Council passed a temporary ban on eviction notices issued for substantial renovations, preventing multifamily owners from removing tenants in order to remodel non-rent-controlled properties for the next year.

The moratorium covers all rental housing, including single-family houses, condominiums, accessory dwelling units and multifamily properties. Even landlords that have already taken out loans to renovate properties, signed contracts with vendors, obtained permits for work, and notified tenants are included in the moratorium.

Tenant advocacy groups have accused Los Angeles landlords of using renovations as an excuse to evict tenants to make way for higher-paying residents. About 100 substantial remodels requiring eviction occurred in the past 26 months within city limits, according to the Los Angeles Housing Department.

But the moratorium could hurt renters by forcing them to live in buildings in need of major repairs or lose their housing due to demolition and redevelopment, Janet Gagnon, chief corporate affairs officer and senior vice president of government affairs at the Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles, wrote in a letter to members.

The ordinance will force small owners to sell their properties “as is” for demolition and likely replacement, Gagnon added.

The state's Tenant Protection Act has already established a streamlined process for renovating and remodeling aging buildings that guarantees monetary assistance to tenants if specific rehabilitation conditions are met, Fred Sutton, senior vice president of local affairs at the California Apartment Association, wrote in a letter to Councilmember Nithya Raman.

“Substantial remodels go well beyond cosmetic changes; they address critical repairs that improve safety, habitability, and the long-term viability of rental housing," Sutton wrote, arguing that major repair such as plumbing, electrical systems, or structural repairs can't be delayed to accommodate tenant needs.