The Los Angeles Metropolis Council on Wednesday voted to undertake an ordinance strengthening town’s tenant anti-harassment protections and making it simpler for tenants to sue landlords who violate the foundations.
The tenant anti-harassment ordinance, referred to as TAHO, was initially handed three years in the past in an effort to guard tenants from being threatened or intimidated by landlords. It was greeted as an vital victory for renters, however advocates started pushing for adjustments because it introduced in hundreds of complaints however resulted in no prosecutions.
The council voted 11-0 to undertake the ordinance, which updates TAHO. The choice comes in the future after the council voted to help ending a rule that permits for renters to be evicted when landlords considerably transform their buildings.
The brand new anti-harassment regulation entitles tenants who prevail in courtroom to 3 instances the quantity of damages, minimal penalties and lawyer’s charges.
It additionally redefines harassment as “a landlord’s bad faith conduct” directed at tenants that causes them detriment or hurt.
The adjustments, advocates mentioned, will higher shield renters and assist create incentives for personal attorneys to tackle harassment instances, a change they mentioned was essential to bolster enforcement of the foundations.
As of this summer time, metropolis housing officers mentioned that they had obtained greater than 13,000 complaints alleging harassment. No instances had been criminally prosecuted.
Landlord advocates spoke out in opposition to the brand new regulation throughout Wednesday’s listening to, saying it’s meant to extend litigation.
“This will cast an absolute chill on any communication between owners and renters as small owners will live in fear of false claims of harassment,” mentioned David Kaishchyan of the Condo Affiliation of Better Los Angeles.
Dozens of tenants additionally gathered within the council chambers Wednesday to induce the council to approve the regulation and to undertake limits on lease will increase. A number of spoke of experiencing harassment by the hands of a landlord, together with Rosalba Vargas, who mentioned she has confronted harassment at her rental unit for years.
“Rent increases are motivating owners to evict people who have lived in their properties for many years so that they can charge more money,” she mentioned. “That’s why they harass us.”
The harassment, she mentioned in tears, “affects our mental and our physical health.”
