Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
Your guide to renting in this complicated — and expensive — place.
LA Council votes to let renters keep pandemic pets without fear of eviction
A family plays with their dog outside a townhome where they received a notice to vacate for violating the building's pet policy.
(
Samanta Helou Hernandez
/
LAist
)
Renters in the city of Los Angeles who adopted a COVID cat or a pandemic pooch may no longer have to worry about being evicted for having a pet.
The L.A. city council voted Tuesday to advance a proposal that would keep pandemic-era eviction protections in place for any animal adopted since March of 2020 — even if those pets violated the terms of a tenant’s lease.
Dianne Prado is the founder of Heart L.A., a tenant advocacy organization focused on helping renters with pets. She said the council’s vote means tenants won’t have to choose between their pets and their homes.
“It's a huge assistance for tenants,” Prado said. “Pets are a part of our family.”
Support for LAist comes from
Why tenants have adopted so many new pets
Many L.A. renters took in new pets during the pandemic. Some adopted animals as a way to cope with newfound isolation. Others allowed friends or family members struggling from COVID-related job loss or returning from closed college campuses to move into their apartments, even if those new roommates brought animals that violated no-pets policies.
As LAist previously reported, some tenants have faced eviction threats over new pets. Local COVID-19 regulations helped to stop many of those evictions. But the city of L.A.’s eviction protection for unauthorized pets is currently set to expire on Feb. 1, 2024.
The council’s plan — which still needs a final vote — would require landlords to allow pets already living in any rental housing unit to keep living there for the rest of the animals’ lives, or until the tenant chooses to move or re-home them.
The policy only covers pets adopted during the pandemic emergency period, not any future adoptions that violate pet prohibitions. The protection also does not stop landlords from evicting tenants over serious nuisances or other issues caused by pets.
Officials say eviction safeguards help keep pets out of shelters
The California Apartment Association (CAA), a landlord advocacy group, supported the city council’s move, only asking that tenants register their pets and notify their landlord about any recent adoptions.
Support for LAist comes from
“CAA understands the challenges, hardships and circumstances which resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic and that some residents adopted or fostered animals into apartment units where they normally would be prohibited,” wrote spokesperson Fred Sutton in a letter to the council ahead of the vote.
A report from the city’s Department of Animal Services said the number of pets covered by the policy is unknown. But officials said making eviction protections permanent for these pets will probably lower the number of animals being surrendered at overcrowded L.A. shelters.
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
USC says it’s reviewing the letter also sent to eight other prestigious schools nationwide. California's governor vowed that any California universities that sign will lose state funding. -
Scientists say La Niña is likely, but that doesn’t necessarily mean a dry winter in Southern California. -
According to a grand jury report the contractor took advantage of strained relations and political pressures to “force” the city to pay hundreds of millions of dollars to settle disputes. -
Administrators say the bargaining units should be dismissed, or that they have no standing. One campus is going after the federal agency in charge of union activity. -
The landslide is not connected to the greater Portuguese Bend landslide, city officials said. -
Nom. Nom. Nom. The event destroyed the internet when it was first announced — and sold out in minutes.
Best of LAist