This month, the image of the flame that torn the Pacific Palisaide and Althaena’s neighbors triggered the anxiety of Jordan Hawker. The flood of social media posts on the rent of nearby Los Angeles County Community has since appeared.
HOCKER lived in Maui when the wildfire destroyed 4,000 housing units in August 2023 and flattened the village of Lahaina. But as the organizer of the tenant’s advocate, Maui Houseing Hui, she deals with the rental crisis since then.
After the fire broke out, the state officials stopped the emergency orders by quickly moving to freeze most of the rents on the island. But the action did not suppress the amazing trend. According to a study by the University of University of University, Maui residents who lived or worked in burn areas showed that the rent increased by about 50 % for months after the disaster. Some landlords used the crisis. Immerse the tenant To create a way for high -end tenants. One year later, there was a homeless Hawaii It’s almost twice.
Hawaiian housing advocates and researchers say that Maui’s experience is a careful story about Los Angeles, emphasizing the protection of the tenant after the natural disasters should pass the rental protection after interfering with the strict lease market. The way Los Angeles leaders respond is still openly asked, and there is a battle between activists and politicians about strengthening tenant protection. LA tenant organizers who are skeptical of the ability of civil servants who can execute the price of the stock price. Spreadsheet Now there are more than 1,400 exhibits.
Hawkers said the activists have the right to pay attention. “If you don’t have an active teeth for price paid, [laws]It will happen. People will do so, ”she said.
Palisades and Eaton Fire, which broke out on January 7, caused hundreds of millions of dollars and at least 29 people died and furious. 10,000 houses In county with a severe homeless crisis. Los Angeles County rents have increased by an average of 20 % since then. Washington Post Rents in some regions were found doubled more than burned areas. The Karen Bass market says LA is needed for many years. “Fema style response” Homeless crisis; I need two now. (Pacific Palisades is part of the city of Los Angeles, but Altadena is not.)
The fire spurred local leaders to protect the tenants of Los Angeles. Gavin Newsom Governor declared an emergency in the morning of the fire 10 % cap Most rent increases. The cap is still valid March 8th Unless it is expanded. The landlord who breaks the law is sentenced to up to one year in prison and a fine of up to $ 10,000. You can also face civil punishment of up to $ 2,500 per violation.
Rob Bonta Attorney General is already Submitted claim He warned 500 hotels and landlords against the owner of the Los Angeles County. Nathan Hochman fat test that had recently been campaigned Real estate industry, He also promised to prosecute the violator and warned Gougers that he would be “publicly shy.”
In Hawaii, officials also promised to crack down on rent. And due to the fire, the Governor of Josh Green took a decisive action and banned the rent and the landlord to evict the MAUI tenant to the unpaid rent. Even threatening the tenant by illegal eviction can be a punishment for punishment with a maximum of $ 10,000 civil punishment per day. (MAUI EVICICT MORATORIUM will expire on February 4).
But Green’s emergency declaration contained a variety of loopholes. The tenant could not return because he did not pay the rent, but the landlord did not need to update the lease when it expired. Some tenants can be evicted when owners or families move or when real estate is sold. Meanwhile, the landlord could freely raise the rent as much as he wanted after the eviction. They also “Additional operation costAs long as the tenant’s documentation increased, the operating cost was not specified.
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Rent Rising According to Hawaiian economist Justin Tyndal, from 10 %to 20 %in Maui after the fire. Researchers with researchers with the University of Hawaii showed that the number of people who lived, worked or owned business in burn areas was much higher. The new unpublished data they shared with Capital & Main shows that the rent has increased by more than 50 %. Like the people who lived in Bond Zone, the people who worked there experienced a “real displacement” at home, Bond-Smith explained.
Godner said the rent hike was much higher for families affected by a fire that leased three or more beds, and he seemed to have increased by up to 80 %. He thought it was due to the pressure that the loss of too many detached houses entered the rental market. “Many single -family homes were destroyed by Palisades and Eaton Fires,” he said in Los Angeles, “he said,” he will expect a similar pattern. “
Natural disasters that destroy housing often increase rents. Researchers at Brookings Institute have investigated the lease trend of major markets due to natural disasters, and it is the effect of “not completely gone” due to an increase between 4 % and 6 % of disasters. One of the author wrote. Another study has been found Permanent rent also increases. retirement There is a tendency to rise.
Alan Lloyd and Alana Kay, who helped operate the tenant’s complaints after a fire with Maui Tenants and Workers Association, used a number of calls from tenants who use this loophole to increase rent or then more costly. I said it was received. Tenant.
“When the tenant is leased [end,] The landlords will say, ‘If you want to live here, you have to pay $ 600 a month.’ “I call it a house by robbery.”
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Some landlords were forced to rent their refugees instead of tenants. propublica Honolulu citizen beats have been reported. This was not the first time that FEMA incentives for eviction in this way, but Noah Patton, a disaster recovery manager of low -income housing unions nationwide, is in rural areas or islands with a much more limited rental market than LA. Do it.
Advocates increase alarms on eviction and illegal impressions, but Attorney General Hawaii, Lawyer, said, “In comparatively, real estate owners are responsible,” according to Propublica and Civil Beat. The office was still not punished for the owner who broke the emergency declaration, and spokesman Toni Schwartz, spokesman for the Attorney General, confirmed by e -mail. They received 247 dissatisfaction, found 35 violations, and all of these violations were all modified. (41 claims are still under investigation.)
In Los Angeles, there were tenant advocates. Already frustrated Before the fire with a government agency implementing the Ten Renus Protection Act. FAIZAH MALIK, a housing lawyer of Pro Bono’s public lawyer, prosecuted hundreds of landlords by jersey.
And in Los Angeles, the price is weaker than Jersey than Hawaii. California’s price -paid law cap rent increases to 10 %(additional restrictions on new listings) are trying to freeze the rent. In addition, Los Angeles did not stop the eviction to avoid paying the rent. Los Angeles County Eugure Court while Pacific Palisades and Altadena are burning It was open.
Meanwhile, the progressive organizers and politicians of the city are trying to create the driving force of rent freezing and eviction moratorium. Last week LA Tenant Union disarray County supervisor meeting to demand the adoption of such measures. The city council will vote on Wednesday work out It frozes the rent for the tenant who claims financial or medical problems from the fire and stops the exposing of non -payment. It is not clear whether the vote is passed in the consent.
The LA tenant has the advantage that the tenant of Hawaii did not do the following: Spreadsheet Promote the charges for charges It was edited by the tenant activist With Chelsea Kirk and Philip Meyer, a new group organized by the Rental Brigade.
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According to Marissa Roy, a consumer protection lawyer, this document is a tool that is rarely used by an agency accused of enforcing a pricing law.
Roy worked in a consumer protection lawsuit against a positive lawsuit in the Los Angeles lawyer office.
“They are very detailed and comprehensive to ask the right questions and that lawyers do not necessarily have a capacity,” she said.
At the moment, the activists are operated under the assumption that the government will not come. no way study The price of County has been found from the rental brigade, from rich Malibu to Labor Class Korea Town.
KIRK said, “Honestly, I don’t believe that all the landlords committed by the price will never face it because they never do so.” “I hope I’m wrong.”
