In the aftermath of the Eaton fire disaster, the Los Angeles County Development Authority and the American Red Cross are teaming up to find rental units for those who've been forcibly uprooted from their homes. As reported by NBC Los Angeles, LA County Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger is calling on property owners with vacancies to extend a hand to the displaced families, aiming to keep them within a 10-mile radius of the fire zone.
Contrastingly, the LA City Council recently took a voting stance that has been perceived as unsympathetic to the victims' plight. The Council voted 6-5 against a bill that would have extended eviction protections to those who could demonstrate economic duress due to the wildfires. According to information provided by FOX LA, the motions face staunch opposition from various landlords, and concerns were raised over the capacity of the city's renters to prove the economic impact incurred by the blaze.
Despite Barger's plea, such protections will not be realized in the city. "We have an immediate need to support wildfire survivors who have been displaced from their homes and want to remain close to their communities," Barger said, emphasizing the challenge many families are facing in maintaining continuity, especially for their children, as stated by NBC Los Angeles. This sentiment resonates with the fact that rental prices across Los Angeles have surged in response to an upsurge in demand, prompting actions by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who has initiated legal action against realtors for suspected price gouging.
Despite the setback on extended eviction protections, the City Council has managed to pass an ordinance that, for the time being, shields tenants from being evicted for sheltering individuals and pets displaced by the fires. Landlords are also banned from hiking rent costs solely on the basis those tenants have taken in additional residents or pets not included within their rental agreement, as per the provisions that remain effective until May 31, 2026, for the County, and March 8 for the directive issued by Governor Gavin Newsom, FOX LA noted.
