L.A. renters strike back

RISING RENTS, mounting illegal evictions and an accelerating wave of demolitions and condo conversions have made Los Angeles a nightmare for many renters. In recent months, the City Council has passed several ordinances to strengthen tenant protections. Just last week, for instance, it closed a loophole that had allowed landlords to avoid rent control by tearing down their apartment buildings and replacing them with new and more expensive rental units. What was notable about this "small but significant" victory, according to tenant organizer Larry Gross of the Coalition for Economic Survival, was that it reflected renters' growing political clout.

By Peter Dreier

May 27, 2007