As LA Wildfire Evacuees Face Illegal Rent Hikes, These Resources Can Help
devastating and persistent Los Angeles wildfires This has left tens of thousands of families scrambling to find housing in an unaffordable and competitive rental market. Now, reports of landlords illegally raising rents and other predatory behavior are sparking massive community responses.
Price gouging, including price gouging of rental housing, in state of emergencyCalifornia Governor Gavin Newsom announced on January 7 that during emergencies, landlords are prohibited from raising rental prices by more than 10% of the previously advertised price.
Yet government agencies and legal organizations remain “inundated with price gouging complaints” from tenants and potential tenants. Javier BeltranDeputy Director, Center for Housing Rights.
Lauren RavitzA Berkshire Hathaway real estate agent who has been vocal against the practices has watched landlords double listing prices and ask tenants how much they are willing to pay, further fueling bidding wars that drive up prices in Los Angeles and rental costs in surrounding areas.
Multiple government agencies, community groups and tenants’ rights organizations are urging people to report instances of price gouging, whether they spot it or experience it themselves.
“We’re always trying to educate because our goal is to lower prices,” said Samira TapiaThe real estate agent at Compass added that the goal is not to send offenders to jail but to make renting more affordable in times of crisis. “People are coming together and the good thing is we’re starting to see rents come down,” Tapia said.
What protections does California law have against price gouging?
California’s Anti-Price Gouging Statute, Penal Code Section 396 Prohibits The cost of goods and services increased by more than 10%including hotels, motels and rental properties after a state of emergency is declared. Landlords are also not allowed to evict tenants during this period in order to rent the property to someone else for a higher price than allowed by law.
Newsom extends price gouging ban on rental housing on January 16 Ends March 8beyond the typical 30-day period.
but in a Popular real estate markets such as Los AngelesNow, tens of thousands of people are looking for short-term and potentially long-term housing, and many renters are feeling desperate.
“Even in the best of times, we have housing shortages,” Tapia said. As demand surges, many renters are willing to pay more than the asking price and outbid others. While it’s still illegal for landlords to accept price increases of more than 10 per cent, some inflated prices go unnoticed.
“Agents should inform their clients that this is not allowed,” Tapia said.
What should you do if you suspect rental price gouging?
Visibility and public pressure will help draw attention to the housing surge, hopefully leading to greater scrutiny of illegal practices and protection of tenants. “If tenants accept these conditions, landlords will think it’s OK and won’t get caught,” said Leonardo Vilchis-Zarate, a community organizer. Los Angeles Tenants Union.
If you suspect rental price gouging, follow these steps.
1. Review and record pricing history
If you’re not sure if the asking rent has increased by more than 10%, use Online tools Calculate the percentage growth before and after the disaster. Once you confirm an illegal price increase, make copies of all records and receipts.
2. File a complaint with the California Attorney General
File a complaint with the California Attorney General’s Office: oag.ca.gov/report Or call 800-952-5225. You are required to provide complete contact details.
Beltran said that while the Attorney General’s Office cannot represent you as a tenant, it can file a lawsuit on behalf of victims of price gouging.
3. Report listing status to other government agencies
File a complaint with the Los Angeles County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs through Online complaint form Or call 800-593-8222. Another option is to call your local police department or sheriff’s office and report the problem.
4. Fill out the price gouging tracking form
After submitting your complaint, please report any instances of price gouging to local tracker Prepared by Strategic Action for a Just Economy, in partnership with the Los Angeles Community Transportation Alliance, compile these lists In crowdsourced documentation.
You can also submit any listing via online form. Providing your name and email is optional.
Beltran said filing complaints through community organizations can help legal service providers and government agencies further investigate the allegations.
5. File a civil lawsuit
If you are committed to exploring legal options as a tenant, you will need to contact an attorney. Beltran said filing a civil lawsuit is always an option, although it won’t be resolved immediately.
Will the landlord be sued?
Price gouging is considered a misdemeanor and is punishable by up to one year in prison and/or a fine of up to $10,000.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta Make a statement It said violators would be fined and prosecuted. But Beltran said no immediate action by the Department of Justice or county prosecutors was expected because of the number of complaints.
Vilchis-Salate said one of the reasons housing advocates are urging public pressure is that laws on illegal rent increases, poor housing and evictions have historically not had much impact on them.
“(Landlords) don’t think they’re going to get caught, and even if they do get caught, they know they’re probably not going to get anything but a slap in the face or being told they have to carry their price down, “Vilchis-Zalate said.
How to find emergency and temporary housing
In addition to officials taking legal action to curb price gouging, real estate agents like Ravitz and Tapia and various organizations are stepping in to help wildfire victims find housing.
Airbnb
In partnership with 211 LA, Airbnb website (a nonprofit organization that provides emergency housing during the crisis) has provided free short-term housing to 25,000 Los Angeles wildfire evacuees. “The demand is huge,” said executive director Christoph Gorder.
Eligible wildfire evacuees can stay at an Airbnb-hosted home for up to 30 days for free. Currently, the focus is on resettling the poorest families who have lost their homes and jobs. Gold said the nonprofit is committed to providing an additional 50,000 free accommodations to support Los Angeles residents during the crisis, despite the system being flooded with requests.
If you need to apply for housing, Fill out the 211 admission form. Eligible applicants 18 years of age or older who live in an evacuation zone must have left their physical residence.
Gold said the main constraint was not temporary housing supply but a lack of funding. all Donations made on the website Compensate Airbnb hosts to provide emergency housing to those in need.
hotel
Here’s how those displaced by wildfires can find hotels in Los Angeles and surrounding areas offering free or discounted stays List curated by Los Angeles Hotel Association. Additionally, HALA has coordinated with Google so that you can get Real-time availability updates And search Google for pricing.
Short term listing
The Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles has created a Centralized resource of available rental housingincluding temporary and long-term accommodation options. And YukelsenAAGLA CEO and executive director told CNET that the list is being continuously updated to assist tenants during the recovery process.
an ongoing problem
Even with price gouging protections in place, the Los Angeles wildfires still raise many questions— climate Housing policy – needs focused attention and reforms at multiple levels.
“This city has always been in crisis. This fire is certainly a tragic event, but it only exacerbates the crisis that the city has been experiencing,” Vilchis-Zalate said.
CNET will continue to update this page with the latest developments. For more articles on the Los Angeles wildfires, see:
