Council Vote Supports Subsidized Renters

The Los Angeles City Council unanimously approved an ordinance Wednesday that will keep housing available to tenants who receive assistance from a federal subsidy program.

The amendment to the city’s rent control ordinance makes it illegal for owners of rent-controlled buildings to opt out of the Section 8 program or to terminate existing contracts with Section 8 tenants.

As the housing market has tightened, landlords have fled the program and reaped higher rents on the open market.

Last year alone, landlords in Los Angeles terminated 6,000 Section 8 contracts, displacing people from their homes and leaving others unable to find housing.

Rod Field of the Los Angeles Housing Law Project lamented the loss of affordable-housing contracts, but said the council’s action will provide protection to those who remain in the program.

“At least those who do have Section 8 can be assured that they’re not going to have the contracts terminated just so the landlord can re-rent the apartment at a higher rent,” Field said.

The amendment also gives the Los Angeles Housing Department new powers to investigate evictions related to the federal housing vouchers in units subject to the city’s rent control law.

“It’s very important,” said Garry Pinney, general manager of the Housing Department.

The Apartment Owners Assn. of Greater Los Angeles has called the amendment “misguided and unconstitutional.” Association leaders plan to ask Mayor James K. Hahn to veto it.