Help available for those who need to pay back rent owed during COVID-19 pandemic
Los Angeles residents who owe back rent due to the pandemic must pay by Thursday.
The Feb. 1 deadline applies to renters who owe rent between October 2021 and January 2023. If the back rent is not paid by the deadline, renters may be evicted.
L.A. Mayor Karen Bass' office said resources are available to help people struggling to pay back rent. Here's how people can get help:
- Renters facing evictions due to unpaid back rent due to the pandemic should call Stay Housed LA at 1-888-694-0040.
- Renters can also get help from Los Angeles Housing Department by visiting one of their offices or calling (866) 557-7368.
- Renters can call the office of their city council representative. Find their contact information here.
"In order to confront this crisis, we must do all that we can to prevent people from falling into homelessness in the first place," Bass said in a news release. "Together with locked arms, we will continue our work to provide resources for the people of Los Angeles."
Even though back rent is due Feb. 1, renters who followed certain protections under state law can't be evicted. According to Bass's office, if one of the following applies, a tenant cannot be evicted:
- Renter gave landlord a Declaration of COVID-19 hardship form within 15 days of rent due for rent owed from March 1, 2020 through August 2020.
- Renter gave landlord a Declaration of COVID-19 hardship and paid 25% of their rent for rent owed from September 1, 2020, through September 20, 2021.
- Renters who owe less than one month of back rent (as set by the U.S. Housing and Urban Development Department Fair Market Rent for L.A.) cannot be evicted based on late rent.
Feb. 1 is also when landlords can begin increasing rents for rent-controlled units. Units under the Rent Stabilization Ordinance could see an increase of up to 4% or 6% if the property owners pay utilities.
Learn more about your rights as a renter in Los Angeles here.
