Inspirational Example – Email Opposing LA County’s Proposed ICE Eviction Moratorium

Dear Honorable Los Angeles County Board of Supervisor members,

So that you know from where I speak, I am a long-time Realtor and housing provider, a former elected City Councilmember in Pasadena, an appointed quasi-judge commissioner on the Assessment Appeals Board for LA County and a State of California Appointed member of the Fair Employment and Housing Commission.  

I come with an extensive background in real estate and housing matters and urge you to OPPOSE any further eviction moratoriums, the newest being the one proposed for ICE activities.  ALL the cities impacted by ICE enforcement activities have elected city councils responsible for creating local ordinances. The County should not wrongfully dictate to local city councils how they should respond, including imposing an eviction moratorium attributable to ICE enforcement activities that these local jurisdictions can address themselves.

The majority of renters are here legally and do not have to fear being subjected to ICE enforcement or deportation by ICE. Therefore, an eviction moratorium for all renters would be overly broad and overreaching. 

The County BOS has already passed an Emergency Rent Relief Program (ERRP) to assist individuals impacted by the recent ICE activities and individuals still impacted by the wildfires. To pass an eviction moratorium would be severely overbroad and damaging to rental housing providers, especially mom-and-pop owners.

Tenant advocate group, the Rent Brigade, has issued a report that shows that 70% of impacted individuals have already returned to work despite the limited ICE activities being conducted in a handful of cities in the county. It also shows that very few ICE activities have been conducted outside of the jurisdiction of the City of Los Angeles with most impacted cities having six or fewer actions and many having only a single action.  Further, the report shows that only a handful of arrests have been made at each such action. Thus, the vast majority of renters, including undocumented renters, have not been directly impacted by enforcement activities. Instead, tenant activists are using limited ICE activities as an opportunity to fearmonger and demand moratoriums that are not warranted and grossly overbroad.

An eviction moratorium does not stop the costs of providing needed housing. An eviction moratorium will once again result in months of uncollected rent and will drive more mom-and-pop owners who provide naturally occurring affordable housing out of business. As these properties are demolished and replaced with luxury housing by new corporate owners, the county will greatly reduce its already severely limited supply of affordable housing.

Sincerely,

Ann-Marie Villicana

Broker-Associate  DRE 00974188

Attorney at Law 171565

Master of Real Estate Development 

Senior Estates Director

Certified Real Estate Luxury Agent