The Los Angeles City Council on Friday significantly reworked a proposal initially designed to prohibit evictions of tenants with open applications for the city’s rental assistance program.

This proposal, following advocacy efforts by the California Apartment Association, underwent a critical amendment to focus specifically on tenants approved for funding.

Originally, the motion aimed to halt all evictions for tenants with pending rental assistance applications, impacting over 31,000 claims. CAA raised concerns about the broad scope of this proposal, especially considering the slow disbursement pace of the Housing Department. Since the closure of the application window in October 2023, only a quarter of the available funds have been allocated, posing a challenge under the original framework.

The revised motion, spearheaded by Councilwoman Traci Park and backed by CAA, represents a significant departure from the initial proposal. While the association still has concerns about the expedited process and the new timelines involved, it acknowledges and appreciates Councilwoman Park’s efforts in refining the proposal, which received unanimous council support. The ordinance, with these amendments, is expected to return to the council for final approval shortly.