The council's president says the ordinance protects as many as 10,000 families from eviction.
"They can still be kicked out for the normal reasons like not paying rent, breaking the rules, but if they're paying their rent and playing by the rules, the new owner, usually a bank, can't kick them out of a home or apartment they've been a good tenant in," said L.A. City Council President Eric Garcetti.
The eviction ban will be in effect at least through the end of 2011 and does not affect rent-controlled properties.
