Property Owners Gather for Rally to End Los Angeles’ Moratoriums
Today, a rally, and press conference to end the City of Los Angeles’s eviction moratorium was held at City Hall. The press conference was called by Los Angeles City Councilmember, John Lee of Council District 12, and landlord groups, including the Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles called upon members and rental property owners to come out and voice their support for ending the moratoriums.
For more than 2-years, rental housing providers in the City of Los Angeles have been forced to endure imposed restrictions on various types of evictions, including evictions for non-payment of rent, unauthorized occupants or pets, nuisances, and no-fault reasons such as owner move-in. Housing providers have also endured more than 2-years of no rent increases while the inflation rate has soared to over 9% and gas has cost in excess of $6.00 per gallon. Executive Director, Daniel Yukelson, stated: “The moratoriums must end now – ‘Moratoriumism’ must be stopped!”
Reporting from the front steps of City Hall during the rally, Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles employee and Apartment Age magazine reporter, Diana Alcaraz, described the scene:
“The tension was real today at the rally! The press conference had to be moved inside to Chamber 3 to avoid the protests and crowd that had gathered. Only about half of the people there were allowed inside, and the rest could not get in. Several police officers or other security personnel were holding the doors closed from the inside so as not to let people from the rally inside. Many of us were left standing on the steps exercising our First Amendment rights.”
During the press conference inside, several speakers addressed the members of the media who had gathered, including Councilmember John Lee, Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles Board of Directors President, Ms. Cheryl Turner, and several independent, “mom and pop” rental housing providers, each of whom called for an immediate end to the moratoriums. The small business landlords present describe the severe financial burden that has been placed upon them during the past two-plus years.
Following the rally, the Los Angeles City Council had voted to extend the emergency declaration for another thirty days, and with that, also extended the City’s moratoriums on evictions and rent increases. Councilmember Lee was the sole dissenting vote.
Board of Directors President, Cheryl Turner, speaks with Board of Directors Member, Michael Agopian, during the July 27th rally to end the L.A. City moratoriums.
Rental property owners came out in force carrying signs calling to end the moratoriums at the July 27th rally.
Rental property owners carrying signs to protest the continued moratoriums. One protestor held a sign declaring an “End to Moratoriumism.” “Moratoriumism” is a term recently created by the Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles to describe government oppression of rental housing providers.
Rental property owners at the rally were met by tenant rights activists seeking “free” rent.
Many of the rental property owners who were at the rally protesting were shut out of the press conference, which had to be moved from the South Lawn to the inside of City Hall.