Nearly 50,000 Eviction Notices Filed in Los Angeles: Data Transparency Tool Reveals Alarming Numbers
According to City Controller Kenneth Mejia, the chief accounting officer for the city, a staggering 50,000 eviction notices were filed in Los Angeles between February and August. This shocking revelation was made possible through a new data transparency tool launched by Mejia’s office, providing the public with access to crucial information.
The data transparency tool, available here, sheds light on the alarming situation. Mejia took to social media on September 25 to share that the majority of these notices were related to non-rental payments, with 91 percent being 3-day notices, which mark the initial step in the eviction process for landlords.
The data tool also reveals that the total amount of unpaid rent during this period reached a staggering $186.5 million. In Los Angeles, eviction notices can be issued for various reasons, including missed rent payments, violation of rental agreements, property damage, or engagement in illegal activities, as stated by the county’s Consumer and Business Affairs Department.
If tenants fail to pay or vacate the premises within the 3-day period, landlords have the right to file an unlawful detainer in court, seeking eviction, according to the department.
The top three zip codes with the highest number of eviction notices filed are Hollywood with 3,500 notices, Fairfax with 2,500 notices, and Woodland Hills with 2,100 notices, according to the data tool.
Interestingly, out of the filed notices, Mejia highlighted in his social media post that 6,000 were for amounts below the city’s “Fair Market Rent Limit,” which disqualifies them for eviction.
A city ordinance enacted in January by the Los Angeles City Council prevents landlords from evicting tenants if the amount owed is below one month’s fair market rent, as explained by Mejia. Currently, the threshold stands at $1,500 for a studio, $1,750 for a one-bedroom, $2,225 for a two-bedroom, and $2,900 for a three-bedroom, according to the city controller.
Recognizing the dire situation, city officials recently introduced the Emergency Renters Assistance Program. This program offers forgiveness for six months of unpaid rent, covered by city subsidies, to eligible individuals and families earning at or below 80 percent of the median income. For instance, a family of three qualifies if their combined income is less than $91,000.
Funding for the $18.4 million program comes from Measure ULA, commonly known as the “mansion tax,” which imposes a 4 percent sales tax on properties over $5 million and 5.5 percent on those exceeding $10 million.
According to the city controller’s data tool, the highest amount of unpaid rent is associated with units in the Sterling Wilshire apartment building located in the Wilshire Corridor in Westwood. Monthly prices for these units range from $4,000 to $8,000.
For instance, one tenant in the building owes a staggering $227,000 in rent, while another has accumulated $90,000 in unpaid rent.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Los Angeles implemented protections for tenants who were unable to pay rent, effectively preventing evictions under a county-wide moratorium.
However, these protections for unpaid rent between March 2020 and September 2020 ended on August 1. For unpaid rent accrued between October 2021 and January 2022, tenants have until February 2024 to settle their dues, according to city officials.
Number of Such Notices ‘Highly Inflated’: Apartment Association
Some landlords in Los Angeles argue that the housing department’s definition of 3-day notices, or eviction notices, is misleading. According to Dan Yukelson, executive director of the Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles, these notices are merely warnings and often do not result in evictions.
“They’re called 3-day notices to pay or quit. It’s just like someone paying their car payment late or forgetting to pay their credit card bill,” Yukelson explained. He further added that in most cases, tenants promptly pay their rent or establish a payment plan with their housing provider.
“In a lot of cases, these notices are corrected, and people have actually gone and paid their rent after receiving. That’s why the number of these notices is highly inflated,” he emphasized.
Yukelson also highlighted that some tenants receive a notice every month due to habitual late payments, while landlords may send multiple notices due to errors in filling out the notice form. For example, the city of Los Angeles now requires landlords to include the number of bedrooms in the unit when providing a three-day notice, leading to potential duplication.
A spokesperson for Mejia’s office confirmed that duplicate entries can be found in the data when multiple notices are sent out. The online tool also displays duplicate notices for the same address.
An apartment building in Los Angeles on Oct. 20, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)
Yukelson further explained that in reality, landlords often prefer to reach an agreement with tenants and waive some rent to expedite the re-rental process.
He stated that a proper eviction process can take six to eight months and cost between $10,000 and $50,000 in legal fees, making it an undesirable option for property owners.
“Depending on how highly-contested the evictions are, hiring private attorneys will make that even worse and cost even more in legal fees. And then on top of that, you’re generally not collecting rent the entire time you’re seeking an eviction, so owners are way out of pocket. It’s very time-consuming, and so they just don’t want to go through the process,” Yukelson elaborated.
Another factor contributing to the increase in eviction notices, according to Yukelson, is tenants intentionally underpaying their rent. As long as they do not exceed the fair market rental limit, eviction attempts are futile.
“What a lot of tenants have been doing more and more is they’ve been short paying their rent because they don’t think the owners can do anything about it… owners are under no obligation to accept less than the full rent, so owners have been returning the money and handing out a three-day notice. And so that’s another reason for a lot of these three-day notices,” he revealed.
What concerns does the Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles have regarding the data presented by the city controller’s tool?
Example, if a tenant pays their rent one day late, the landlord may still send a 3-day notice as a way to remind the tenant of their payment obligations.
The Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles believes that the data presented by the city controller’s tool does not accurately reflect the number of actual evictions taking place. They argue that these numbers may be misleading and create unnecessary panic among tenants.
In response to these concerns, City Controller Mejia stated that the purpose of the data transparency tool is not to instigate fear, but rather to provide accurate information to the public. Mejia acknowledged that not all eviction notices result in actual evictions, but emphasized the importance of understanding the scale of the issue and the potential impact on tenants.
Addressing the Crisis: Increased Support for Tenants
The evictions crisis in Los Angeles calls for immediate action to support struggling tenants. Recognizing the urgency of the situation, city officials have taken steps to provide assistance to those in need.
Alongside the Emergency Renters Assistance Program, the city is implementing various measures to alleviate the financial burden on tenants. These include rent subsidies, legal aid, and mediation services for tenants facing eviction. The goal is to prevent unnecessary displacement and help tenants overcome financial difficulties caused by the pandemic.
Additionally, state and federal governments are exploring options
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