You may have already received a notice from the County of Los Angeles. Yes, it’s real! For properties in unincorporated LA County, there is now a rent control ordinance and a Rent Registry Form. Landlords who don’t fill this out are not allowed to accept rent.
Registration Fees
Fees have been waived for this year if the landlord registers by 1/1/2022. After January 1, registration fees will resume, and late fees will be further assessed for properties registered after the annual deadline of September 30th.
L.A. County Rent Control Ordinance
Here’s what the ordinance provides:
- A requirement for property owners to register all rental units annually, including changes in tenancy, rental rate, and amenities.
- A maximum cap for rent increases as determined by the County. Based on the Consumer Price Index and shall not exceed 8%. Some exemptions apply.
- The maximum allowable increase is three percent (3%) through June 30, 2021.
- A provision requiring a “just cause” reason for evictions, even if the unit is not covered by the rent restrictions in the ordinance. Note: These units may still be subject to State rent restrictions/limits.
- A provision requiring relocation assistance for “no fault” evictions and certain temporary displacements.
- A process for property owners who believe they are not receiving a fair return on their property to increase rent above the County determined maximum cap.
- A process for property owners to pass through a portion of the costs for certain property improvements or renovations to renters. • A provision that allows property owners with 50 or fewer rental units to pass on the direct cost of the Measure W parcel tax to renters (approved by voters in the November 2018 election). This cost is separate from rent increases.
For more information, visit https://dcba.lacounty.gov/rentstabilization-ordinance/ and https://dcba.lacounty.gov/rentregistry.
To find out if a property is in an unincorporated area of Los Angeles County, use the “Find Your District” feature at https://lavote.net/apps/precinctsmaps and select “District Map Look Up By Address”.
To read more articles from the December 2021 Issue of the AOA Magazine, click here.