LA County’s Commercial Eviction Moratorium Extended Through Sept. 30

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has voted to extend the county's residential and commercial eviction moratorium and rent freeze through Sept. 30. The moratorium was slated to end at the end of this month. 

This is the third time the board has extended the eviction moratorium since the coronavirus pandemic began. With Los Angeles unemployment near 20% and most business remaining closed or with limited operating hours, the board unanimously supported the extension.

Landlords have pushed back, with several groups representing apartment landlords filing suits seeking to overturn the moratoriums.  

"I believe every indicator shows us that we will be deeply, if not even more, into the issue of businesses not being open and people not being back to work, therefore not able to pay their rent," Supervisor Sheila Kuehl said during Tuesday's board meeting.  

Since the health pandemic began, the county and cities across Los Angeles have passed residential and commercial eviction moratoriums as part of an effort to protect residents and tenants from being displaced. 

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health on Wednesday reported that the coronavirus has killed more than 4,200 people in the first six months of this year, putting it on track to be the second-leading cause of death in the county for 2020. 

During the meeting, the Board of Supervisors had discussed passing a stricter moratorium that could supersede city moratorium orders, but that will be up for debate in the next meeting.

"I think we all understand how significant the economic crisis has been in our communities," Supervisor Kathryn Barger said. "This pandemic has harmed our communities physically, mentally and financially. The threat of more of our constituents facing homelessness is one that we should all take seriously."