The Los Angeles City Council has once again decided to leave its eviction moratorium and rent freeze in place, ignoring the city’s housing providers, as well as the state Legislature.

On Nov. 10, the council extended its COVID-19 state of emergency, which includes the eviction moratorium and temporary prohibition on rent increases. Councilman Joe Buscaino, however, made it clear he would not vote to extend the emergency declaration again. Buscaino said the city needs a comprehensive “look at what makes sense to continue, what should be revisited, revised or repealed” and introduced this proposal to start the process.

CAA urges the council to take up this proposal as soon as possible.

The Los Angeles moratorium, in place since the beginning of the pandemic, is among the strictest in the state, and the worst elements are not preempted by state law. The local moratorium has no documentation-of-hardship requirements and continues rent-collection prohibitions among other unreasonable measures. The latest extension runs until at least Dec. 10 – even though California’s COVID eviction moratorium — approved by state lawmakers — expired at the end of September.

The California Apartment Association encourages property owners to continue contacting council members and demanding that they lift the moratorium and rent freeze. Click here to read CAA’s opposition letter and here to take part in the campaign to end these policies.