Legislation that would impose a rent freeze across Los Angeles County advanced out of the Assembly Judiciary Committee on Tuesday by a majority vote, backed by an organization with a history of failed extreme rent control initiatives.

Following opposition from the California Apartment Association and its members, AB 246 by Assemblyman Isaac G. Bryan, D-Los Angeles, was amended to limit the rent freeze to one year instead of an indefinite period. Notwithstanding this amendment, CAA remains opposed.

Assemblyman Isaac Bryan

The bill is co-sponsored by Housing Is A Human Right, the housing advocacy arm of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation. AHF previously bankrolled three extreme rent control measures—Propositions 10, 21, and 33—all of which failed in statewide elections, facing opposition from the California Apartment Association’s campaign committee, Californians for Responsible Housing.

Local officials rejected similar proposals

While AB 246 proposes a yearlong rent freeze, local officials in Los Angeles have already declined to pass similar policies. The Los Angeles City Council rejected a comparable rent freeze, and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors never proposed such a measure. The fact that local leaders have refused to impose such a freeze raises questions about the necessity of this bill at the state level.

Despite amendments limiting the freeze’s duration, CAA argues that the bill still exceeds the state’s existing anti-price-gouging laws, which already cap rent increases at 10% during declared emergencies. The measure, though, would lock rents at levels charged as of Jan. 7, 2025, and authorize district and city attorneys to impose civil penalties of up to $10,000 per violation.

Embert Madison

CAA attorney Embert Madison testified against the bill, pointing out that local officials have already declined to pursue similar policies. Los Angeles, Madison said, rejected a rent freeze proposal after careful and long consideration.

“So, to now impose a state mandate when the local government declined to do so would be the true definition of state overreach,” he said.

Madison also emphasized CAA’s efforts to ensure compliance with existing price-gouging laws.

“We took out a full-page ad in the LA Times after the Jan. 7 wildfires to educate local businesses about the law,” he said. “We also have a public education program on our website for tenants, landlords, and businesses that they can access at any time.”