A Los Angeles County supervisor on Tuesday introduced a proposal that would increase the amount of unpaid rent a tenant may owe before a housing provider can begin eviction proceedings and extend the restriction to all cities in the county using emergency powers.

Supervisor Lindsey Horvath’s motion, scheduled for a vote Tuesday, Feb. 10, would raise the county’s nonpayment eviction threshold to three months of fair market rent, as defined annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The proposal would rely on the county’s emergency declaration related to federal immigration enforcement to apply the restriction countywide, overriding local rules in incorporated cities.

The proposal represents a significant escalation from a separate action taken by the board just days earlier, when supervisors approved direction to county counsel to draft an ordinance increasing the nonpayment eviction threshold from one month to two months, limited to unincorporated areas only. That proposal would require a separate vote before taking effect.

The California Apartment Association opposed both measures, warning that forcing housing providers to absorb months of unpaid rent without compensation would destabilize rental operations and reduce housing access.

In a letter to the board, CAA argued that most housing providers lack the financial capacity to absorb prolonged nonpayment without jeopardizing their ability to operate, maintain their properties and continue providing housing. The association noted that most unlawful detainer cases are due to nonpayment of rent and that the court process alone can take six months or longer, followed by additional delays before the Sheriff restores possession of the property.

CAA also urged supervisors to focus instead on targeted rental assistance programs. The association has supported the county’s rent relief program for residents impacted by the 2025 fires and called for its expansion into a permanent rental assistance pool for tenants facing temporary financial hardship.

Horvath said making the protections apply countywide is possible under the county’s emergency declaration.

The current eviction threshold is based on HUD fair market rent rather than a tenant’s actual contract rent. Fair market rent in Los Angeles County is $2,085 per month for a one-bedroom unit and $2,601 for a two-bedroom. Under a three-month threshold, tenants in a two-bedroom apartment could owe more than $7,800 before a housing provider could pursue an eviction for nonpayment.

The Board of Supervisors is scheduled to consider Horvath’s proposal at its 9:30 a.m. meeting Tuesday at the Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration in Los Angeles.