Landlords in Los Angeles are raising rents drastically, violating laws during a state of emergency as residents seek shelter from wildfires.
Los Angeles: It’s pretty wild out there right now. Landlords are cranking up rents like crazy, some even doubling them, all while folks are scrambling for shelter after the fires. This is totally against California’s laws that say they can’t raise rents more than 10% during a state of emergency.
So, here’s the scoop: a real estate agent checked over 400 listings and found nearly 100 properties with rent hikes beyond that limit. One place in North Hollywood shot up by $800 overnight, hitting $5,700 a month. Can you believe that?
And get this, a five-bedroom home in Santa Monica that was listed for $12,500 last February is now going for a whopping $28,000! That’s a 124% jump! It’s just insane.
Another realtor mentioned that rents in West LA jumped by 15% to 20% in just one night. One agent even raised the rent by $3,000 during a showing. People are so desperate to find a place that they’re just throwing money around.
It’s really frustrating to see people taking advantage of this situation. Chelsea Kirk, who works in policy, even made a spreadsheet tracking these outrageous rent increases. One mansion in Bel Air went from $29,500 to $39,000 a month. Even smaller homes are getting hit hard; a two-bedroom in Woodland Hills went from $3,900 to $5,900.
Despite the state of emergency declared by Governor Newsom, which limits rent hikes, landlords are still trying to cash in. Housing advocates are calling for stricter enforcement of these laws. Even Jason Oppenheim from “Selling Sunset” has spoken out against this, calling it illegal and immoral.
California’s Attorney General is on it, promising to investigate and impose hefty fines for violations. Mayor Karen Bass is also stepping up, urging people to report any illegal rent hikes. It’s a tough time for many, and the last thing they need is to be taken advantage of.
