By JOSE HERRERA
In a significant win for renters across Los Angeles, the City Council on Tuesday moved forward a package of changes to its tenant anti-harassment ordinance with the goal of strengthening protections for tenants against abusive landlords.
In a 12-0 vote, council members instructed the City Attorney’s Office to amend what is known as the TAHO ordinance, aligning it with the state’s policies as well as those in cities such as Santa Monica, Oakland and San Francisco, which have stronger tenant protections.
The draft ordinance will require a follow-up vote by the council before it can take effect.
Council members Curren Price and Paul Krekorian recused themselves as they are landlords, and Councilwoman Imelda Padilla was absent during the vote.
Amendments to TAHO are expected to better define and provide examples of tenant harassment, including but not limited to the following:
— Threatening to reduce or eliminate housing services under the housing lease
— Failing to complete necessary repairs and maintenance of the unit
— Abuse of right to access
— Refusing to accept or facilitate rental assistance payments
— Imposing or altering the rental agreement
— Increasing the statute of limitations to three years, allowing tenants more time to file complaints
The Housing Department and City Attorney’s Office will also conduct a monthly report on the number of TAHO claims in each district, tenants’ reasoning for filing and how the city responded.
Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez sought to gut some of the amendments, referencing a “confidential report.” She explained that it was important as policymakers to move forward in a responsible way. Her attempt failed in a 9-3 vote, with her colleagues John Lee and Traci Park backing the move.
Councilman Hugo Soto-Martinez, who is a renter, opposed Rodriguez’s proposed changes, calling them “deeply problematic.” He added, “I think that we need to strengthen the tenant anti-harassment ordinance, not make it even weaker.”
In an effort to further bolster the TAHO ordinance, Councilwoman Eunisses Hernandez introduced an amendment to address ambiguity, cover mental and emotional abuse, as well as rent-stabilized units, under the policy. She also proposed increasing penalties for tenant harassment three times more to $10,000 per violation, with a minimum of $2,000 for each offense.
Council members backed Hernandez’s proposal in a 9-3 vote, with Lee, Park and Rodriguez against it.
“We know that most of our rental units are owned by corporations, but that a significant part of our rental units are mom-and-pop landlords, and they are doing the best they can to provide different housing for our city,” Hernandez said.
“We also have to recognize that this is not to impact our landlords, whether it’s corporate or mom-and-pop — this is to deter bad actors,” the councilwoman continued.
Prior to the vote, David Kaishchyan, government affairs coordinator for the Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles, criticized the current TAHO ordinance for being “blatantly one-sided.” He explained that there are no protections in place for landlords or housing providers, who are often targeted by tenant activists at their homes.
Kaishchyan also took issue with a proposed amendment that would mandate a landlord to award compensatory damages based on a court decision. He said it would be “wrong” for the city to micro-manage a court of law and replace the authority with the city’s requirements.
Shane Henson, a legal aid attorney and public policy advocate with Inner City Law Center, urged the council to bolster the TAHO ordinance. He noted that many of his clients have faced tenant harassment, including being forcibly locked out of their homes, experiencing verbal and physical abuse, or being compelled to live in deplorable conditions.
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“The current TAHO is weak and enforceable,” Henson said. “These changes will ensure my clients’ rights as tenants are protected.”
Edna Monroy, a member of Strategic Actions for a Just Economy, and a tenant located in the 10th District, shared her experience fighting not one, but two eviction attempts. While addressing the council, her voice shook with anger and, at one point, she began to cry.
“I’m getting emotional, not because I’m hurt but because I’m angry. I’m angry at the system that allows landlord abuse,” Monroy said. “If you really care about Angelenos, we need to put an end to tenant harassment.”