These provisions limit rent increases and hotel rate hikes during a declared emergency and prohibit landlords from evicting tenants
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted to extend price gouging protections for residents displaced by the January wildfires, as housing instability persists months after the disaster.
The motion, introduced by Supervisors Lindsey P. Horvath and Kathryn Barger, extend protections through August 30. These provisions limit rent increases and hotel rate hikes during a declared emergency and prohibit landlords from evicting tenants in order to re-list properties at higher prices.
“Seven months in, our residents still need protection from predatory practices that make housing even more unaffordable and unattainable in these times of crisis,” Horvath said in a statement following the vote. “By extending these protections, we’re helping ensure that every family has the chance to rebuild without fear of being priced out.”
Barger echoed the sentiment, adding that “no one recovering from disaster should face eviction or be priced out of temporary housing.”
The Board first declared a local emergency on January 7 after a series of fast-moving wildfires — including the devastating Eaton Fire — destroyed thousands of homes and forced widespread evacuations. That declaration triggered anti-gouging rules that cap price increases at 10% above pre-disaster levels for goods and services, including housing.
Tens of thousands of residents remain displaced, and many who signed short-term leases in the wake of the fires now face possible rent increases of 50% or more if protections expire. According to a May report from the Los Angeles Times, rental prices in neighborhoods adjacent to the burn areas are rising significantly faster than countywide averages.
Earlier this month, the Board also advanced an urgency ordinance aimed at strengthening enforcement of its price gouging laws. If adopted, the ordinance would empower the Department of Consumer and Business Affairs to issue fines, secure restitution for victims, and proactively investigate suspected violations.
State law allows local governments to renew emergency anti-gouging protections every 30 days when necessary to protect life, property, or public welfare. County officials say complaints of price gouging have been increasing and justify the continued extensions.
The protections apply countywide and will remain in effect unless rescinded or allowed to expire after August 30.
