L.A. County expands eviction moratorium

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File art courtesy of Metro Creative Connection

The County of Los Angeles has expanded its temporary eviction moratorium. This expansion now includes all residential and commercial tenants in L.A. County – with the exception of those who live (or conduct business) in cities with an eviction moratorium of their own. (Paramount does not have such moratorium.)

L.A. County’s moratorium includes a ban on evictions for:

  • Nonpayment of rent, if the tenant can show they have been financially impacted by the health emergency.
  • No Fault reasons, such as owner/relative move-in or Ellis Act evictions.
  • Violations due to additional occupants, pets, or nuisance related to COVID-19.

This is retroactive from March 4 to May 31, 2020, unless extended.

A partial list of the actions taken by the County includes:

Renters will have 12 months after the moratorium ends to pay any back rent (previously six months).

Landlords may not impose any new passthroughs or charge interest or late fees for unpaid rent during the moratorium period.

Payment plans that allow landlords to accept partial payments from tenants during the moratorium are encouraged.

Tenants may provide self-certification of their inability to pay rent, and landlords must accept this as sufficient notice.

Landlords may not harass or intimidate tenants who choose to exercise their protections under this moratorium.

If you’re experiencing a landlord-tenant issue, please contact the L.A. County Disaster Help Center by:

Phone: (833) 238-4450

E-mail: rent@dcba.lacounty.gov

Online: dcba.lacounty.gov

The Disaster Help Center also provides expanded foreclosure protection assistance for landlords with 15 or fewer units. If you are a property owner facing financial difficulty, contact the Help Center to learn about available resources for your situation.