On Tuesday, February 25, 2025, the LA County Board of Supervisors passed temporary eviction protections for tenants economically impacted by the fires.
These protections apply to tenants who:
- Live in LA County (including in a city or unincorporated area within LA County);
- Lost their job/work hours directly due to the fires and have, because of this, lost 10+% of their income;
- Lived in their home since before January 7, 2025;
- Made less than 150% of the median income for their area in 2024 (aka not high-income);
- Have applied for unemployment, another job, or fire relief assistance
Tenants need to:
- Tell their landlord, in writing, that they meet these requirements and can’t pay rent, within 7 days of their rent being due. Tenants can do this for rent due before July 31, 2025. LA County released a form tenants can fill out and send directly to their landlord: tinyurl.com/FormForTenants
- Example: If you can’t pay March rent, and you usually pay on the 1st of the month, tell your landlord by Saturday, March 8.
- If you couldn’t pay February rent, tell your landlord by Tuesday, March 4.
- If, after the tenant informs them, a landlord tries to evict a tenant for not paying rent, the tenant can use this as a defense in eviction court.
- Example: Your landlord files an eviction against you for not paying March rent, after you told the landlord that you couldn’t pay because you lost your job in the fires. In eviction court, you can explain this to the judge, and they may dismiss the eviction case.
- Tenants will have until July 31, 2026 to pay back any rent they owe from this time.
- Example: If you don’t pay rent this March, you will have to pay the money you owe for March rent by July 31, 2026.
To read the full law, visit: tinyurl.com/CountyProtections
And for additional answers to frequently asked questions, visit: tinyurl.com/TenantProtectionsFAQ
Financial assistance for impacted workers is also available by application through Wednesday, March 12, 2025: opportunity.lacounty.gov/worker-relief-fund/
