Some residents in Los Angeles County will see rent relief after board members approved a temporary cap on rent increases.
Rent increases will be capped at four percent for tenants living in unincorporated L.A. County communities after the L.A. County Board of Supervisors approved the motion on Tuesday.
The cap will be effective from Jan. 1, 2024 to June 30, 2024 and will only apply to those under the county’s Rent Stabilization and Tenant Protections Ordinance (RSTPO).
Without the temporary cap, rent increases of up to eight percent would have been allowable starting Jan. 1, 2024.
A cap of three percent was previously approved on Nov. 1, 2022 for rent-stabilized rental units and mobile home spaces from Jan. 1, 2023 through Dec. 31, 2023.
Through Tuesday’s motion, the cap will be set at four percent for a six-month period. During this time, officials from the Department of Consumer and Business Affairs will conduct a “comprehensive analysis on the economic impact of recently enacted rent increase formulas” before recommending permanent changes to the RSTPO.
The RSTPO is a “local law that sets the maximum annual rent increase based on the changes in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and provides tenants protections from evictions without just cause,” according to the county’s website.
This is what renters who are subject to the RSTPO in an unincorporated L.A. County community can expect:
-Now – December 31, 2024: Rent can only increase up to 3%
-January 1 – June 30, 2024: Rent can only increase up to 4%
-After July 1, 2024: Rent can increase up to 8%, but a discussion will come before the Board before this time considering permanent changes to the RSTPO
“The majority of Los Angeles County residents are tenants and even as we near the fourth anniversary of the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, many are still struggling to pay back rent and figure out a way to keep a roof over their heads,” said L.A. County Supervisor Hilda L. Solis. “Strong eviction protections are critical in preventing mass displacements — especially for low-wage workers who are essential in keeping our economy running.”
“Keeping people in their homes by stabilizing rent to keep it affordable is essential in preventing homelessness,” said L.A. County Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath. Doing so is responsible, just, and necessary in the face of the homelessness crisis we face – anything less will undermine our ongoing emergency response.”
For more information, visit the L.A. County Consumer and Business Affairs website on the Rent Stabilization Program.
