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AB 246 Proposes Rent Freeze Across Los Angeles County In Response to Wildfire Impact

Proposed legislation would temporarily halt rent increases in Los Angeles County for a year after the end of the emergency declaration because of recent wildfires and storms. Assemblyman Isaac G. Bryan's AB 246 would freeze rents at January 7, 2025 levels, prohibiting rent hikes.

The bill surpasses California’s anti-price-gouging statute (Penal Code Section 396), which only caps rent increases at 10% during emergencies, by banning all rent increases.

Following reports of substantial rent hikes—including 60% increases in Venice and over 100% in Santa Monica—Bryan presented the bill. Civil penalties of up to $10,000 per violation will be enforced by district attorneys against those who violate AB 246.

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AB 380 Prohibits Price Gouging on Hotels, Food, & Other Necessities

AB 380, introduced by Assemblymember Mark González (D-Los Angeles), extends price gouging protections to hotels, food, and other necessities during emergencies. This ensures that the same protections against price gouging during crises now apply to both rental and other housing in California.

"Residents across Los Angeles continue to suffer in the aftermath of these devastating fires. When we see rental prices skyrocketing up to 300% across the county, the State needs to step in and take immediate action," said Assemblymember González. "Californians need to focus on healing and rebuilding – not being exploited by bad actors seeking to take advantage of those in crisis."

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SB 52 Would Prohibit Artifical Intelligence to Manipulate Rents

Senator Sasha Renée Pérez (D-Pasadena) has introduced SB 52 to protect renters by prohibiting the use of artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms to manipulate and unfairly increase rents.

“California rental prices are already out of control. AI technology gives landlords an unfair view of the competitive landscape of rents in the area. With that proprietary information, landlords can manipulate greater rent increases, maximizing profits, while struggling families are the ones that get screwed over. We must change this and SB 52 will provide relief,” said Senator Sasha Renée Pérez (D-Pasadena).

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SB 436 Provides Eviction Protection for Non-Payment of Rent

State Senator Dr. Aisha Wahab (D-Silicon Valley) introduced the Keeping Californians Housed Act, Senate Bill 436, which will protect low-income renters from eviction for nonpayment of rent if they can pay the amount owed to the landlord after an eviction lawsuit has started.

This measure allows renters to avoid eviction by paying back rent and providing proof of rental assistance covering the full amount.

Landlords are required by this bill to include details of this new protection in both the three-day notice and court summons, along with all information tenants need to apply for rental assistance.

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AB 628 Would Require Stoves Refrigerators

& Stoves in Rentals

Assemblymember Tina McKinnor (D-Inglewood) introduced AB 628 which would require new leases on residential properties to include a refrigerator and stove in good working order. A working stove and a working refrigerator are not luxuries - they are a necessary part of modern life. By making these necessary appliances standard in rental homes, California can provide all of its residents with a safer, more affordable and more dignified place to call home.

The California rental housing affordability crisis has been amplified by old laws neglecting essential appliances in rental homes. Increasingly, rental properties omit refrigerators and stoves, imposing financial hardship on tenants searching for affordable, safe housing, despite many landlords including them.

Unlike many states, California's new residential leases don't require refrigerators or stoves, unlike other states with appliance condition stipulations.

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Ellis Act Evictions Continued to

Grow in 2024 as LA Lost More

Rent Controlled Affordable Housing

In 2024, the City of Los Angeles lost 877 more affordable rent controlled units due to the dreaded state Ellis Act. That bring the total units lost to 30,817 since 2001.

Thus, in 2024 the City of LA saw the lost of nearly 2 1/2 units per day due to the Ellis Act.

The Ellis Act, passed by the state legislature in 1985, was adopted to allow small mom and pop landlords to remove their rent control units from the market by permanently going out of the rental business.

The Coalition for Economic Survival (CES), with map-creating assistance from the Anti-Eviction Mapping Project, is releasing an update of our web-based interaction map, showing where 30,817 rent stabilized affordable units have been destroyed in the City of LA from 2001 through 2024 due to the Ellis Act. Click to view map.

The map, using data provided by the Los Angeles Housing Department (LAHD), visually shows the devastating impact the Ellis Act has had on tenants being displaced and affordable rent controlled housing lost. One can view the address of the buildings and the number of units lost there, due to the Ellis Act, by hovering over the dot using a computer mouse or laptop touch pad.