BREAKING: Major Court Win for Barrington Plaza Tenant Facing Eviction |
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Barrington Plaza Tenants and Supporters Celebrate After Court Victory |
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On July 25, LA Superior Court Judge James Chalfant granted Barrington Plaza tenants' request to advance a hearing date for a preliminary injunction motion to decide on halting evictions pending the outcome of the overall case contesting the Ellis Act mass evictions.
That hearing is now set for Tuesday, August 15 at 1:30 pm in Department 85, LA Superior Court, 110 N Grand Ave, Downtown LA. Get ready to turn out.
A big thank you to Attorney Fran Campbell of Campbell & Farahani for this victory. She has worked diligently on this case on behalf of the tenants.
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Douglas Emmett Inc., Owners of the Barrington Plaza, is attempting to evict all residents in the 712-unit complex in West Los Angeles so that it could add fire sprinklers.
The Barrington Plaza Tenants Association, assisted by the Coalition for Economic Survival sued Douglas Emmett Inc., accusing the company of misusing a California law, the Ellis Act, that allows landlords to evict tenants if they exit the rental market. Lawyers and advocates involved in the case warn that if the owners follow through with the mass eviction, landlords of other affordable apartments may do the same — and have in the past.
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Tenants were last in court on July 20 where another judge referred the motion back to this judge who made the ruling to expedite the hearing on whether the evictions will be halted pending the outcome of the overall lawsuit.
Mark down Tuesday, August 15 at 1:30 pm in Department 85, LA Superior Court, 110 N Grand Ave, Downtown LA. We Need You There for Support!
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Op-ed: Barrington Plaza fights Ellis Act; injustice could spark mass evictions in LA
In 1998, the property consisting of three high-rise buildings on Wilshire Boulevard was purchased by Douglas Emmett, who is currently being sued by residents alleging misuse of state law for mass evictions, according to the Los Angeles Times. The 712-unit, rent-controlled apartment complex in the Sawtelle community of LA has provided tenants like UCLA’s longest-serving librarian, Miki Goral, an affordable place to live.
Goral has been a librarian on campus for 52 years and a resident at Barrington Plaza for 34 years. The convenient location allows her to utilize public transportation to commute to work.
Passed in 1985, the Ellis Act was originally intended to allow non-corporate landlords to take units off the rental market when they wished to exit the rental business. This state law has been misused by developers attempting to circumvent tenant protections and convert properties rented by working and lower-income individuals into luxury apartments and condominiums.
“They clearly do not intend to go out of the rental business – they are just looking for a way to get out of having a rent-controlled building,” Goral said in an emailed statement.
It goes without question that these injustices only continue to exacerbate the city’s affordable housing crisis.
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ADDITIONAL FUNDS ARE NEEDED Help And Support is Needed for the Barrington Plaza Tenants' Fight to
Stop These Unjust Ellis Act Evictions
The Coalition for Economic Survival (CES) sees the important fight of the Barrington Plaza Tenant Association as a fight that is critical to all renters in the City of Los Angeles. If this landlord is successful in it’s illegal use of the state Ellis Act it could open the door for other tenants to face similar evictions. These evictions must be stopped! That is why these tenants have CES’ fully support and we urge they receive the support of every tenant and tenant organization in the city.
The law suit against this multi-million dollar corporation is likely to be expensive.
You can help by donating to the Barrington Plaza Tenants GoFundMe Account to help them maintain a legal effort to fight their eviction.
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Tenants Covered by the State Tenant Protection Act Will See Rent Increases Drop
Many renters in Los Angeles and Orange counties are about to get a slight reprieve from large rent hikes. Starting Aug. 1, the maximum allowable rent increase under a key statewide tenant protection law will decline from 10% to 8.8%.
The change is due to the state’s Tenant Protection Act. Passed in 2019, the law puts a ceiling on how much landlords can raise rents each year for non-rent control units. It covers many, but not all, rentals in California.
This applies to tenants living in non-rent controlled units built at least 15 years ago. Tenants in the City of Los Angeles are protected from any annual rent increase until February 2024. Units in other cities with rent control have annual increase much lower than the one allowed by the state law.
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ATTENTION ALL RENTERS!
Know Your Rights By Attending the
Coalition for Economic Survival
Tenants' Rights Zoom Clinic
Tenants’ Rights Clinic via ZOOM
Request a Link by emailing:
The Clinic serves the entire Southern California area.
Accommodations for Spanish, Russian speakers are provided.
One-On-One Assistance With an Attorney.
CES holds the Clinic Every Saturday via Zoom at 10 am.
and every Wednesday at 6 pm for West Hollywood Renters.
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Coalition for Economic Survival
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616 Shatto Place, Los Angeles, CA 90005
Telephone: (213) 252-4411
Fax: (213) 252-4422
Mailing Address:
Coalition for Economic Survival
14320 Ventura Bl #537,Sherman Oaks, CA 91423
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