With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today .
LA’s COVID-19 Tenant Protections Have Expired. To Ensure Renters Know Their Rights, A Nonprofit Is Spreading The Word Door To Door
InnerCity struggle, a nonprofit in Boyle Heights, routinely hosts community walks ahead of election cycles. Now, they're expanding to help renters.
(
Courtesy Carla Torres Montero
)
L.A. County’s COVID-19 tenant protections have expired, meaning renters can no longer put off making monthly payments due to pandemic-related harms. Tenants who are behind on rent will also have to pay back what they owe, though not all at once.
To help spread the word, tenant advocates throughout the region are turning to social media and hosting workshops. And at least one local nonprofit is making house calls: staff members and volunteers at InnerCity Struggle will go door-to-door in Boyle Heights, East L.A., El Sereno and Lincoln Heights on Monday, targeting streets with apartment buildings.
“It's a really critical time for [renters] to be informed,” said Daniel Jiménez, director of community organizing at the nonprofit. “We're walking the community to ensure that [residents] have the knowledge and resources they need.”
Community walks are a routine part of InnerCity Struggle, but they’re normally conducted ahead of election season to encourage voters to cast their ballots. This time around, the nonprofit is operating under a different sense of urgency.
Support for LAist comes from
One of Jiménez’s chief concerns is helping renters who took in extra roommates or pets amid the pandemic understand the current rules.
In the city of L.A., unauthorized roommates and pets will be allowed to remain in place until Jan. 31, 2024. But in the rest of L.A. County, they’re no longer allowed. Jiménez fears this could lead to confusion among renters — and potential evictions.
Aside from sharing information about the COVID-19 renter protections, the staff members and volunteers at InnerCity Struggle will distribute pamphlets with details on where to go to find support with other issues, including free legal counsel for anyone facing an eviction or landlord harassment.
Want to help out?
InnerCity Struggle is still looking for volunteers ages 18 years old and up.
If you’re interested, sign up here and report Monday (April 10) to the nonprofit’s offices at 3467 Whittier Blvd. in Los Angeles by 4 p.m. After completing training, you will be paired with a staff member or another volunteer before heading out. The community walks are usually about two hours long.
Support for LAist comes from
If you have any additional questions, send a direct message to InnerCity Struggle’s Instagram account.
Have questions about renter protections?
For more details on how the changes could affect you, check out LAist’s comprehensive guide. We will also be hosting a live AMA with experts on Thursday that will stream online.
VIRTUAL EVENT FOR RENTERS
-
Join us April 13 from 7 to 8 p.m. PST for a live virtual/online event.
- LAist housing reporter David Wagner and community engagement reporter Julia Barajas, along with a panel of experts in the field, will answer your questions.
- You can also submit questions in advance using the form here.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
Lucille J. Smith Elementary was one of 31 California schools to be nominated as a National Blue Ribbon School. -
Unhoused people sleeping in county parks and along flood control channels can now be immediately fined or jailed. -
Immigration raids have caused some U.S. citizens to carry their passports to the store, to school or to work. But what documents to have on you depends on your citizenship. -
The historic properties have been sitting vacant for decades and were put on the market as-is, with prices ranging from $750,000 to $1.75 million. -
Users of the century old Long Beach wooden boardwalk give these suggestions to safely enjoy it. -
The Newport Beach City Council approved a new artificial surf park that will replace part of an aging golf course.
Best of LAist