LOS ANGELES – Today, Mayor Karen Bass joined Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martinez and tenant rights leaders at Strategic Actions for a Just Economy (SAJE), an economic justice organization that has served tens of thousands of Angelenos, to enact new tenant protections in the City’s Rent Stabilization Ordinance. Passed by the L.A. City Council earlier this month, Mayor Bass today approved the first update to the ordinance in nearly 40 years. B-roll of the event available here.
“No parent should have to choose between buying groceries or paying the rent, or live in fear of eviction because they have welcomed a child into their family,” said Mayor Karen Bass. “In partnership with the City Council, we are enacting new tenant protections and capping the rent for apartment units protected under the City’s Rent Stabilization Ordinance. This new law protects renters while also streamlining processes and resources for housing providers so that more Angelenos can not only make the rent but live full and stable lives.”
“Being able to afford rent is not a luxury – it’s a basic necessity. For the first time in 40 years, we are taking meaningful steps to ensure more Angelenos can afford to live where they work and continue to thrive in the communities they serve,” said Los Angeles City Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martínez. “It will support families and make sure people are not priced out of LA .”
Mayor Bass’ action today continues her work to make Los Angeles more affordable, beginning with the high cost of housing. The Rent Stabilization Ordinance, which covers about 74% of rental units in Los Angeles, addresses the current cost-of-living crisis that many Angelenos are facing. Specifically, the ordinance:
Limits rent increases, with a floor of 1% and a ceiling of 4%.
Prohibits rent increases for additional tenants like babies or elderly family members under the care of the primary residents.
Removes outdated utility increases.
Explores ways to provide more resources to address deferred maintenance and other challenges faced by small housing providers.
Mayor Bass noted that the most extreme consequence of unaffordability is homelessness. On Mayor Bass’ first day in office, she declared a State of Emergency on homelessness. The declaration allowed the city to accelerate the production of permanent affordable housing and rapidly expand interim housing by cutting through years of red tape. Mayor Bass has doubled the number of affordable housing units in the pipeline. More than 40,000 units of affordable housing are being accelerated under her policies.