JUNE, 2020
Once Again, Rent is Due! July 1 is Days Away
( What the Hell Do I Do If I Can't Pay the Rent???
The Next CES Tenants' Right Clinic Zoom meeting. 
This Saturday, June 27, 2020 - 10:00 AM

Register in advance for this meeting:
You Must Register Using Link Below:


After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

You must register to attend.

OR

and providing the following information:

·     Your name
·     Phone number
·     Address, City
·     Any relevant Documents
·     A brief description of your situation
·     # of units in building & year it was built
If your landlord demands rent your can't pay or demands you sign a rent repayment agreement you are not require to sign, file a complaint. Complaints can be submitted via HCID’s hotline number (1-866-557-7368), or online at: 

Contact CES immediately, via email at contactces@earthlink.net , and email a copy of any landlord notice you receive.

Contact your City Councilmember about it. LA City Councilmember David Ryu, at CES’ request, send out a very strong letter on behalf of tenants to landlords who have made such illegal demands, telling them to stand down.
What to Do If You
Can't Pay the Rent?

Notify Your Landlord in Writing If You Can't Pay Your Rent

Tenants should also let their landlords know, in writing, the reason why they haven’t paid.


When a complaint has been filed with the LA Housing Department, it will be assigned to a HCID Housing Investigator. The Investigator will review that the tenant's non-payment is related to COVID-19.

If everything is in order, the Housing Investigator will send the landlord a letter requesting the cancellation of the notice and alert them about the repayment period.

You Are Not Required to Provide Documents
or Sign a Rent Repayment Agreement

You do not have to provide documentation nor do you have to sign an agreement saying how and when you are going to pay back the rent. CES advises not to sign any rent repayment agreement at this time. 

Tenants should keep documentation in case down the road they have to prove it in court.
LA Approves Major $100M Renter Relief Program
The largest rent relief program of any city in the U.S. will help about 50,000 households
BY  GREG CORNFIELD  JUNE 24, 2020

The Los Angeles City Council this week  approved a $100 million emergency relief  program for renters and landlords suffering from the economic shutdowns and shelter-in-place orders due to the spreading coronavirus.

The Coalition for Economic Survival (CES) , an L.A. tenants’ rights and advocacy group, said the program is a step in the right direction, but does not go far enough. Executive Director Larry Gross said with  unemployment nearing 21 percent in L.A. County , about 365,000 households countywide lost their jobs and do not have access to unemployment benefits, and are at risk of losing their homes once eviction moratoriums expire.
“The total funds are too small and the $2,000 cap per household is too little,” Gross said in an email to Commercial Observer. “Many rents are higher than $1,000 or $2,000, thus this may not be enough to prevent evictions.

The $100 million in the rental assistance program will make just a small dent in preventing our homeless numbers from exploding.” 
Gross is concerned about the funds going to those who need it most, as well as the program’s racial equity, “given that  COVID-19 has hit communities of color the hardest.”  Similarly, he is hoping to get assurance that landlords who are most in need obtain these funds. 

“Limited rental assistance funds should not go to large corporate landlords who can better withstand the current economic crisis. Smaller landlords are more likely to be from the community and support community stability.”

Tenant Notice to Landlord of COVID-19 Income Loss/Hardship Tenants may use this template letter to notify their landlord and provide documentation of a financial impact due to the Coronavirus Pandemic.

The template letter is available in English, Russian and Spanish:
On June 17, 2020, the City of Santa Monica issued a  revised supplemental emergency order  that extends the City’s eviction moratorium for residential tenants to July 31, 2020. The moratorium covers nonpayment of rent and certain other evictions. The repayment period for residential tenants remains unchanged at twelve months from the time the moratorium ends.  

The revised supplemental emergency order also extends the City’s eviction moratorium for certain commercial tenants to July 31, 2020, narrowing its focus to small businesses most in need of protection.  A number of businesses, including publicly traded companies and businesses with more than 100 employees, are no longer covered under the moratorium.   
County of Los Angeles

On June 23, 2020, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted to extend the temporary eviction moratorium through July 31, 2020. Additional extensions may be reviewed and approved on a month-by-month basis by the Board. The protections cover tenants in unincorporated LA County and cities in the County that do not have such protections.

Other Cities

Many other cities have taken similar action. Check with your city for details.

Tenants living in Federally HUD subsidized housing are also protected against evictions .
CES Executive Director Re-Appointed
to the City of LA Board of Animal
Services Commissioners
On June 23, the Los Angeles City Council unanimously approved Mayor Eric Garcetti  re-appointment of CES Executive Director Larry Gross to the City of Los Angeles Board of  Animal Services Commissioners. Larry serves as the Commission President.
In Light of Climate Change & COVID 19, Air Conditioning Has Become a Necessity
Last year was the second hottest year on record, according to the World Meteorological Organization.
Residents in urban environments face disproportionate impacts due to the urban heat island effect, which occurs because urban built environments retain more heat than natural environments. This impact is particularly dangerous for people living in low-income, disadvantaged communities across much of Los Angeles who lack the means to cool their homes, posing a growing threat to their health, and their lives, from extreme heat due to global warming.
COVID-19, according to recent research released by the University of Southern California, has underscored the importance of preparing for shocks, particularly those that disproportionately impact underserved populations.

At the Coalition for Economic Survival ’s urging, LA City Council Member David Ryu has
introduced that following motion (language above and below), on June 24, that asks the LA Housing and Community Investment Department and City Attorney to do the following :
·     Seek the feasibility of allowing tenants in apartments without air conditioning to install window air conditioners and/or use mobile air conditioning units in their homes, as long as no damage or structural changes to the property occur.

·     Seek the feasibility of amending the habitability classification of air conditioning, so that air conditioning, which is currently considered a reduction of service not requiring an urgent repair, receives the same level of priority service as if a heater/furnace breaks down.

·     Provide recommendations for the use of City, State and/or Federal funding and any other mechanisms that could be used to incentivize and assist property owners with the costs of installing air conditioning in multi-family buildings for vulnerable residents in underserved areas of the City.

SUPPORT THE WORK OF THE COALITION FOR ECONOMIC SURVIVAL
* Secure tenants' rights
* Preserve existing affordable housing 
* Prevent tenant displacement 

Show your support for CES' work by making a  Donation Now!

The economic justice victories that CES has won over the years such as rent control in the cities of Los Angeles and West Hollywood, creating the city of West Hollywood and winning numerous laws to combat slum housing, secure tenants' rights and preserve affordable housing has only been possible with the generous financial support from people like you. 2020 marked CES' 47th Anniversary year. Help make it another year of victories by  clicking here to donate now.

With us all facing this pandemic that threatens us both health-wise and economically, CES has committed to continue providing tenants with information and assistance on their rights. Clearly, COVID-19 has made this committment extremely challenging. It is why we need your financial support more than ever. We will persist!
514 Shatto Place, Suite 270
Los Angeles, CA 90020
Telephone: (213)252-4411
Fax: (213)252-4422