The states of emergency declared for the Bridge and Airport fires in Southern California expired over the weekend and were not extended by the governor, bringing an end to state-imposed rent-gouging protections in the affected areas.

As of Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, the declarations for both the Bridge Fire in Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties and the Airport Fire in Orange and Riverside counties have officially lapsed. This means that state-imposed limits on rent increases—capped at 10% during the emergency period—are no longer in effect in these areas.

The expiration of these states of emergency leaves only one fire-related emergency still active in California. The declaration for the Boyles Fire in Lake County remains in place and is scheduled to expire on Oct. 29, 2024, unless extended by the governor. The Boyles Fire caused significant damage in the Clearlake area, damaging or destroying more than 30 structures and forcing mass evacuations. Until the emergency expires, state-imposed rent increases in affected areas will continue to be capped at 10% under the state’s anti-price-gouging law.

Under California’s anti-price-gouging law, Penal Code Section 396, state-imposed rent-gouging protections prevent landlords from increasing rents by more than 10% over pre-emergency rates. These limits apply to both current tenants and during tenant turnover and typically last for 30 days, with the possibility of extension depending on the duration of the emergency. Landlords should also be aware that the protections may apply to surrounding areas if housing demand spikes as a result of the emergency, even if those areas are not specifically mentioned in the declaration.

Landlords are encouraged to independently monitor any local states of emergency, as the California Apartment Association does not currently track local declarations. Failure to comply with state-imposed price-gouging protections can result in fines of up to $10,000 or imprisonment.

For more information on emergency declarations and compliance with rent-increase limits, visit the California Attorney General’s website or consult local authorities.