Residents of a Los Angeles apartment complex marched to Mayor Karen Bass’s home on Friday, seeking protection from a huge spike in rent as a result of the city’s COVID-era eviction moratorium expiring.
Advocates say the 124 families at Hillside Villa in Chinatown, many of whom are receiving Section 8 subsidies, are facing a 300% rent increase which they cannot afford.
“Those are essentially evictions,” said Kris Chan, a community organizer. “Our tenants cannot afford that, and they’ll be pushed to the streets.”
“We don’t want to be homeless, and we want to stay there,” one tenant, Mary Ramos Monina, told KTLA. “We are not asking to (live) free as a tenant, but we want to pay what we can afford. That’s all we ask.”
L.A. County’s tenant evictions ban expired at the end of March.
Residents and their supporters want the city to purchase the property to control rents. In a statement Friday, Mayor Bass’s office said their options are limited in this situation.
“Mayor Bass will always work to help Angelenos stay in their homes and this instance is no different – even though this situation involves a privately owned building that is not in the City’s control,” the statement read. “Our office has met with residents, and in coordination with Councilmember Hernandez and the City Attorney, we are working on a solution.”