LOS ANGELES – Mayor Karen Bass, Councilmember Nithya Raman, Los Angeles Housing Department Assistant General Manager Anna Ortega and President & CEO of the Mayor's Fund for Los Angeles Conway Collis held a press conference today announcing a new proactive coordinated approach to provide tenant protections in Los Angeles. The leaders raised awareness around tenant rights, resources and investments ahead of the August 1 deadline of back rent payment for the first 18 months of the COVID emergency period. To view the livestream of today’s press conference click here.
These efforts follow investment and action by the City and nonprofits to protect Angelenos from eviction. This includes the Mayor’s Fund for Los Angeles’ proactive tenant outreach strategy, the Los Angeles Housing Department’s tenant resources and ongoing conversations with the Los Angeles Superior Courts to expand assistance for people who have received an unlawful detainer filing, including expanding on-site resources for Angelenos in need.
“We are working around the clock to ensure that tenants know their rights, and that there are resources available to them in order to not self-evict,” said Mayor Karen Bass. “For the first time, Los Angeles is taking a coordinated proactive approach in helping Angelenos stay inside. We will continue to lock arms with our partners to solve this crisis so that everyone in Los Angeles has a safe place to sleep at night – and that no one is sleeping on the streets.”
“Today is an important step in reshaping the machinery of the city towards keeping people housed and towards putting homelessness prevention at the core of our mission,” said Councilmember Nithya Raman, Chair of the Housing & Homelessness Committee. “I am proud to be working with the Mayor, our city departments, fellow councilmembers, and community partners on this effort.”
Ann Sewill, General Manager of the Los Angeles Housing Department said, “LAHD is grateful for the support and leadership of Mayor Bass, Councilmember Raman, and the entire City Council for their focus on the needs of Los Angeles tenants.”
“We’re already seeing a substantial increase in evictions, and we have to do everything possible to keep people housed. The Mayor’s Fund is stepping up to serve hundreds of thousands of vulnerable renters who need our help now,” said Conway Collis, President and CEO of the Mayor’s Fund. “Our program We Are LA brings together outreach workers and case managers from across the community to reach people where they are, connect them with trained case managers, and help them access the services that can keep them housed. We are also working to help meet the needs of mom and pop landlords who have bills to pay, because we know that many of them want to do the right thing by keeping tenants in their homes.”
On Thursday last week, Mayor Bass and Councilmember Raman released information on tenants rights, resources and investments ahead of the August 1 deadline where they highlighted various resources available to tenants and highlighted public information campaigns to ensure that Angelenos across the City are getting the information necessary to stay inside. These efforts follow investment and action by the City and nonprofits to protect Angelenos from eviction. For more information click here.