Long Beach renters may soon be protected from illegal substantial remodel evictions as the City embarks on the creation of a “renovation administration program” that would evaluate whether remodels are necessary before permits are issued.
Last night, the Long Beach City Council voted unanimously to work with tenant advocates and housing providers to collaborate on such a program.
In the meantime, the City will enact a temporary ban on evictions for substantial remodels, which will be retroactive to Tuesday, July 6 if it’s passed at next week’s council meeting.
“The fact of the matter is: we live in a renter economy and the [substantial remodel] policy disenfranchises our renters,” said Councilmember Cindy Allen, co-author of the item.
Tenants and advocates lined the chambers holding signs in support of the item, though many criticized its scope.
“To say the least, [evictions are] destabilizing in all aspects of your life—financially, mentally and emotionally,” said Maria Lopez, an organizer with the Long Beach Tenants Union. “Cover us all! Cover all evictions, all families, take the responsibility and don’t allow these families to be put out. This item is not what the community demanded in March.”
Melissa Morgan, communication director for Long Beach Forward—which is a member of the Housing Justice Coalition—said the item was “watered down” and wouldn’t protect working families who were currently facing evictions.
“Many are frontline workers. You have been calling them heroes,” she said. “Let’s give them heroic treatment.”
Deputy City Attorney Rich Anthony said, if the council extended the ban farther into the past, the City would “find itself exposed to legal liability.” He noted that the asks from advocates were “not unreasonable,” but “they did not persuade me.”
One such resident who may be affected by a retroactive application is Aurelia Ortega, who said during public comment that her landlord had substantially remodeled her unit while she was still living in it.
“For two weeks, we had to buy food outside,” she said through a translator. “Ever since this started, the owner increased our rent illegally by $500. They took away our security doors. They took the outdoor lights away. They closed the laundry and they threatened us with removing our garden.”
She called for the council to create the renovation administration program, require payment for tenant relocation and ensure that tenants could return to their units at the same pre-remodel price.
Past policies to address illegal evictions ‘fell short’
This isn’t the first time the council has attempted to address the provision. An ordinance passed last year requires that landlords attach building permits to all eviction notices for substantial remodel.
At the time, organizers said that landlords were illegally evicting tenants under the guise of substantial remodel, but making only cosmetic changes to their buildings. Painting exteriors of buildings, installing new tiles, upgrading cabinets—all illegal reasons for eviction under the law.
“I appreciate past council initiatives to address this issue, but unfortunately, the policies fell short,” Allen said. “We are dealing with an inherently flawed policy and, at its core, it’s unjust and unethical.”
Despite the requirement of permits, organizers said that illegal evictions persist. The City confirmed that 124 units in Long Beach are facing evictions for substantial remodels, Allen said. The City does not have a means to track evictions citywide.
“It’s very difficult to determine the magnitude of any evictions resulting from an issuance of a building permit,” Deputy Director of Development Services Oscar Orsi said.
A renovation administration program may give the City better insight on evictions. City staff are expected to report back in 90 days on the feasibility and costs associated with such a program.
Los Angeles County has a similar program, Orsi said, which costs $80 million to administer.
Though the item passed unanimously, some council members expressed ambivalence about permanently removing substantial remodel as a just cause for eviction.
Councilmember Suzie Price suggested increasing penalties on “bad actor” landlords who knowingly subvert the law.
Councilmember Stacy Mungo voiced similar thoughts, noting that a number of residents facing evictions belonged to a handful of apartment complexes.
“We don’t always want to legislate for everyone,” she said.
Vice Mayor Rex Richardson directed staff to look into ways the City could support relocation, should they see a wave of evictions when the State’s eviction moratorium ends on Sept. 30 of this year.
“I want to reiterate that residents should not be displaced without any real recourse because of a renovation project. At the same time, we believe landlords should retain the ability to renovate and upgrade their property at their discretion,” Councilmember Suely Saro said. “The proposal today is rooted in basic fairness, and ensures our landlords and tenants have a clear path forward with respect to renovation projects.”
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