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LA Could Get A Digital Dashboard To Track Public Eviction Filings
An eviction notice for tenants hangs on the door of a home.
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The Los Angeles City Council approved a motion on Wednesday calling for a report on the creation of a digital dashboard to track public eviction filings. City officials now have 30 days to come back with a plan for the program.
According to the motion introduced by Councilmember Nithya Raman, the L.A. Housing Department (LAHD) has received more than 40,000 eviction filings so far this year. A large number of those filings have been for unpaid rent, but the motion says some of them are in violation of local tenant protection laws.
For example, as of March, landlords cannot evict a tenant for falling behind on rent unless they owe more than one month of the fair market rent, which depends on the size of the unit. If a tenant is renting a one-bedroom apartment for $1,500, the landlord is not able to evict them until the tenant owes more than $1,747, which is the fair market rent for that type of unit.
A little more than 10% of this year’s eviction filings for unpaid rent do not follow the new law because the tenants owe less than fair market rent, according to the motion.
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What would the dashboard do?
If approved, the dashboard will provide resources and “know your rights” information for tenants and landlords who may qualify for local, state, and federal support programs.
It would also include a feature where tenants can file a complaint with LAHD if they believe their eviction filing may be illegal.
The dashboard would also include tenant data, stripped of any personally identifiable information, for those who’ve received assistance from L.A.’s Eviction Defense Program. The data would include the average direct assistance given to tenants and landlords.
What will the city report include?
LAHD and other city officials have until Dec. 1 to address any privacy concerns related to the public dashboard.
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The report will also have to include clearly stated just cause reasons for the eviction filings. If a filing is for unpaid rent, officials must detail the rent debt and the current monthly prices.
Why now?
An ordinance that went into effect in January introduced new eviction filing requirements that have been useful for the city. However, there’s still more work to be done with that data.
All eviction notices must now be filed with LAHD within three business days, which helps show where and why tenants are being evicted. It’s also helped city departments and community advocates connect with vulnerable tenants who qualify for assistance, or who may be dealing with a bad faith filing from their landlord.
The public dashboard aims to standardize how that information is received and how the city can support tenants, according to the motion.
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