At its meeting on September 1, the Los Angeles City Council voted to approve a $10-million eviction defense program for tenants impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Given the new state law has many provisions, the City of Los Angeles has to be prepared to defend our renters in court and do all we can to keep people in their homes,” said City Council President Martinez in a news release.
The vote by the Council directs the City's Department of Housing and Community Investment to report on an implementation plan for the program next week.
The City's program will become reality as the process for evictions becomes murkier due to an array of local, state, and federal regulations.
While most evictions proceedings have been suspended statewide since April, a 90-day order implemented by the California Judicial Council is scheduled to expire this week. State officials have since approved new legislation which would delay certain eviction proceedings through to October 5.
Separately, the Center for Disease Control issued an order this week which blocks evictions for tenants earning less than $99,000 per year.
The Los Angeles Times reports that City officials are analyzing the new federal and state rules to determine if they override any existing protections.
Tenant protections have been a frequent topic of discussion among the City Council since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. While the Council has enacted a $100-million renter relief fund and other coronavirus-specific protections, officials have thus far balked at adopting a more comprehensive ban on evictions.
