LOS ANGELES – On Friday, Governor Gavin Newsom made a rule that prevents landlords in Los Angeles County from evicting renters who allow wildfire victims to stay with them.
With many people now without homes, we need more houses and places for them to stay than ever before. Newsom said in a statement that allowing people in need to stay in your home is kind and should be protected.
The order stops owners from using the eviction process to remove tenants for breaking a lease rule that prevents them from providing shelter to people affected by the recent emergency, according to a news release.
The order doesn’t stop landlords from following other rules in a tenant’s lease.
Local leaders in the Los Angeles City Council have also taken steps to protect people displaced by the deadly wildfires.
Councilmembers Eunisses Hernandez and Hugo Soto-Martínez proposed a plan to temporarily stop evictions for renters impacted by the fires and to freeze rent increases for one year, until January 2026. If this move passes, no tenant affected by the recent wildfires can be evicted.
The Housing and Homelessness Committee will review the move soon, and then it will go back to the City Council for a vote in the next few weeks.
The governor’s executive order will be valid until March 8, 2025.
The Palisades and Eaton flames have resulted in 27 deaths and have destroyed more than 17,000 buildings. By Monday afternoon, the Palisades Fire was 59% under control, and the Eaton Fire was 87% under control, according to Cal Fire.
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