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Council delays vote on item 6 after members request more time; tenants and providers urge approval of Stay House program
Summary
The Los Angeles City Council voted to continue agenda item 6 to March 10 after members said a late report required more review. Dozens of public commenters — tenants, legal-aid providers and advocates — urged the council to approve and avoid interruptions to the Stay House tenant-defense contract.
The Los Angeles City Council on March 3 voted to continue consideration of agenda item 6 to March 10 after several members said they received a late report and needed time to review it. The motion to continue passed, with the clerk announcing "nueve a favor, cuatro en contra" (nine in favor, four opposed).
Public commenters used the council chamber’s general comment period to press for urgent action on tenant-defense contracts known in testimony as the "Stay House" program. Guadalupe "Lupita" González, an organizer with Alianza de California para empoderamiento comunitario, told the council, "Necesitamos el programa Stay House," urging members to prioritize services to prevent evictions.
John Donald, identified in testimony as director of a housing coalition, and other nonprofit and legal-services representatives said the program helps tenants navigate eviction court and yields high retention rates. A speaker who identified themselves as representing legal services said unrepresented tenants lose their cases at high rates and called the city-funded defense program "an important resource." The commenters warned that delays or gaps in contracts could interrupt legal representation and increase displacement risk.
Council members pressing for a continuance said they wanted to consult a late-arriving city attorney report and reduce the risk of service interruptions if contracts were approved without necessary clarifications. The city attorney advised council procedure regarding reconsideration and timing of votes during the meeting.
There was broad public testimony — including clients, program staff and service providers — describing the Stay House program’s outreach and reported results. Commenters cited program figures presented during public comment (testimony said the program represented thousands of tenants and reported success rates over 90% in certain measures) and asked the council to avoid a lapse in funding or contracting that could leave tenants without legal help.
The council did not take a final vote on item 6 on March 3; the item was continued to the March 10 meeting. The clerk and council president instructed departments to accelerate any needed follow-up so services would not be interrupted while the matter is continued.
