During a hearing today, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge declined to issue a temporary restraining order that would have halted implementation of the Pasadena rent control law passed by voters.

The judge instead deferred the matter until a Jan. 26 hearing when she will consider the California Apartment Association’s motion for a preliminary injunction. If granted, the preliminary injunction would keep some or all of the rent control law on hold while CAA’s lawsuit challenging the measure is decided. CAA sought a temporary restraining order as an interim fix to prevent enforcement of the law, passed as Measure H in November, until the Jan. 26 hearing.

CAA’s legal challenge largely centers on the rent board created under Measure H, including its powers and who’s allowed to serve on the board. When the judge learned today that the rent board appointment process will not begin until February, she concluded that denying the restraining order, and allowing the rent control law to carry on until the hearing Jan. 26, is unlikely to cause irreparable harm. Judges are legally required to consider the likelihood of irreparable harm when weighing requests for temporary restraining orders.  

The judge also noted that the case involves complex legal issues that merit more time for consideration than exists in an expedited restraining order hearing.

Before adjourning the hearing, the judge encouraged all parties in the case to confer in hopes of reaching a mutual resolution to the issues put before the court today. If an agreement can be reached, the Jan. 26 hearing would be vacated.