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The End Of COVID-Era Renter Protections in LA County

Believe it or not, April is just around the corner. With that said, there are a few changes coming our way in Los Angeles.
COVID-19 emergency comes to an end
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This Friday, L.A. County’s COVID-19 emergency will end. The contagious respiratory illness will then be treated like other communicable diseases. There are several changes we should expect county-wide, most notably the end of COVID-19 eviction protections.
This means renters who live in L.A. County’s 88 cities or incorporated areas will not be able to delay paying rent because of hardships due to COVID-19. If you don’t pay your rent on time, your landlord could evict you.
There IS a new package of eviction protections that can protect L.A. city renters after these regulations end, and there are still some thresholds for folks who live in other areas. We know that all of these changes can be confusing. That’s why my colleague David Wagner has a roadmap to help you understand all of these changes coming this week as well as information on how you can get legal help.
Read more about what’s changing for tenants and the politics behind these expiring rules here.
As always, stay happy and healthy, folks. There’s more news below — just keep reading.
More news
(After you stop hitting snooze)
- After the three-day LAUSD strike ended on Thursday, the Service Employees International Local 99 union reached a tentative deal with the district. The agreement includes raises up to 30%. My colleague Mariana Dale has more about what was agreed upon between the union and the school district on Friday. Here are some teachable moments about the LAUSD strike.
- On Thursday, L.A. Metro’s Board of Directors not only extended contracts with L.A. and Long Beach law enforcement for up to three more years, it’s also considering creating Metro’s own police department. My colleague Libby Rainey has more.
- Even though our usually sunshine-y state is in its record-breaking stormy season right now, we’re not out of the clear when it comes to having a substantial water supply. Gov. Gavin Newsom said that we’re still in a drought emergency.
- Have you ever heard of a trash interceptor? Well, L.A. County has one and its mission is to collect three years’ worth of garbage from Ballona Creek.
- As the stormy weather continues to consistently hit our state, California officials now want to make conservation a lifestyle for all of us. Alastair Bland of CalMatters has more details into why officials are switching out some drought-related stipulations for more water conservation practices.
- For some new college students, adapting to a new rigorous environment can be a challenge. Due to increasing worries about college students’ mental health, some higher education institutions are considering getting rid of grades and using different ways to assess students.
- The U.S. debt ceiling has been reached. President Joe Biden and Republican congressmembers are fighting over what to do about the debt situation to avoid a catastrophic economic default.
- Grindhouse horror lovers unite. Check out the double feature at the New Beverly Cinema today and tomorrow night. AirTalk’s Larry Mantle will hold a discussion with doctors to discuss the past, present and future of the COVID-19 pandemic at Caltech’s Beckman Auditorium on Wednesday night. Take your whole family through an immersive, spring experience at SpringTopia: A Family Fun Fest in Woodland Hills. There will be puppies, a circus and theme parks! Check out all of the rest of the fun events this week here.
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*At LAist we will always bring you the news freely, but occasionally we do include links to other publications that may be behind a paywall. Thank you for understanding!
Wait... One More Thing
The Top Three Tea-Sipping Trends

THREE — March Madness Update: The men’s Final Four is set and San Diego State is locked in
Unfortunately, the UCLA Bruins women’s basketball team did not make it past the top-seeded South Carolina Gamecocks during their Sweet 16 game on Saturday. On the men’s side, the San Diego State Aztecs beat Nebraska’s Creighton University Bluejays yesterday by one point. San Diego State is the first team in the Mountain West conference to make it to the Final Four. SDSU plays the No. 9-seeded Florida Atlantic University Owls in Houston this upcoming Saturday.
TWO — The future of TikTok
As Chinese TikTok officials continue to get grilled by Congress due to security concerns on the app in the U.S., several users have spoken up with their own critiques towards the U.S. government. Some users have pointed out how out of touch senators have been during the congressional hearings and have pointed out the need for younger people in office who are knowledgeable about new technology trends. Some users have even shown their love for the app that brings in thousands of dollars for many creators.
ONE — LeBron James returns to the court for the Lakers
LeBron James returned to the court after missing the past 13 games with a tendon injury in his right foot. Unfortunately for all of us Lakers fans, our home team lost to the Chicago Bulls yesterday. According to ESPN, this was the second time James has ever come off the bench.
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