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LA City Council Sets Jan. 31 End Date For COVID-19 Eviction Protections
A sign at an Aug. 2020 protest in L.A.
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Valerie Macon
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AFP via Getty Images
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Topline:
The Los Angeles City Council voted Wednesday to extend the city’s COVID-19 eviction protections until the end of January. The decision will wind down safeguards for renters that have been in place since March 2020.
Why this matters: Under the current pandemic-era rules, tens of thousands of L.A. renters have been able to stay housed after falling behind on rent due to pandemic-related layoffs or loss of income.
Landlords have long called for ending the regulations, saying missed rent payments have hurt their bottom line. Some housing experts worry that lifting the eviction protections will put further stress on the region's housing crisis and could cause an increase in homelessness.
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What's happening elsewhere: Renters in the L.A. area have benefited from some of the longest lasting eviction protections nationwide. L.A. County set its end date for eviction protections for Dec. 31 — those apply countywide except in places like the city of L.A., where stronger eviction rules are in place. In many other parts of the state, protections are no longer in place.
What happens next: The city council has decided on some key deadlines:
- Beginning in February, tenants can be evicted for not paying rent.
- Tenants will have to start repaying pandemic rent debt on Aug. 1, 2023.
- Starting in Feb. 2024, landlords in the city of L.A. will once again be able to raise rents in rent-controlled apartments.
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