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Council delays vote on interim ordinance to pause 'renoviction' evictions
Summary
Los Angeles City Council continued action on a draft interim control ordinance that would temporarily pause evictions tied to substantial remodels, after public commenters and members pressed to extend protections to ongoing cases and to lengthen the ordinance window.
LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles City Council on March 6 continued consideration of a draft interim control ordinance intended to temporarily pause evictions tied to substantial remodels — a tactic tenants and advocates call "renovictions" — and directed staff to return with amendments at a continued hearing on Friday, March 7.
The ordinance, listed as agenda item 20, was the subject of multiple public comments urging the council to extend protections to tenants already facing eviction and to lengthen the proposed window of effect while a permanent ordinance is developed.
Chelsea Kirk, policy director at Sage, told the council the draft ICO should be amended to apply to existing cases. "I've been organizing with a group of tenants who've been fighting fraudulent renovictions for over two years now," Kirk said. "Their third eviction was filed in November right after the motion to draft the ICO was first adopted." She urged the council to close the loophole that leaves tenants exposed while litigation continues.
Laura Matter, an attorney at Inner City Law Center, said many tenants now face trials scheduled within days and asked that the ICO cover cases without a final judgment. "We have a trial scheduled to start tomorrow," Matter said. "These tenants have been living with this for a long time. This ordinance was meant to protect tenants who were in cases going forward where there is not a judgment."
Several tenants and community organizers from across council districts made similar pleas. Rose Fairley, a tenant from Council District 13, said, "Hundreds of families have been displaced by renoviction work. We need to extend this ordinance and make an amendment to apply it to existing cases." Janet Torres of Sage called the substantial remodel loophole a tactic used "to displace long-standing tenants" and asked the council to quickly adopt a permanent ordinance following the interim measure.
Councilmember Elizabeth Jurado introduced an amendment to extend the ordinance's coverage and to address the short window of effect, and asked that the item be continued. A motion to continue the item to Friday, March 7 was seconded by Councilmember Bob Blumenfield and agreed to without objection. Councilmember Mike Price recused himself from item 20 and was not in the room during the discussion.
Council members and advocates emphasized the distinction between discussion and formal action: the body did not adopt the ICO on March 6, but continued the matter so the city attorney and Housing Department could refine language and return with a report and any proposed amendments.
Why it matters: Tenant advocates say renovictions are being used to replace long-term residents with higher-rent tenants. The council's decision to continue preserves time for legal review and for amendments advocates requested, including coverage for cases already filed and a longer effective period while a permanent ordinance is prepared.
Next steps: The council scheduled the continuation for Friday, March 7. The council asked the city attorney to review proposed amendments before that hearing and did not take a final vote on the interim ordinance on March 6.
