The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to raise the threshold for formal evictions in unincorporated areas from one month to two months of unpaid rent, offering additional protection to tenants facing economic hardship.
The motion, authored by Supervisor Janice Hahn and co-authored by Board Chair Hilda L. Solis, directs County Counsel to draft an ordinance modifying the county's existing Rent and Tenant Protections Ordinance. The change would require tenants to owe at least two months of Fair Market Rent before landlords can proceed with eviction.
"This is a modest but necessary increase," Hahn said. "With this additional month, I hope we can give families some breathing room while not putting the entire burden on landlords who depend on rental income to pay their own bills."
Hahn acknowledged the measure would face criticism from both tenant advocates and landlords, calling it a middle-ground approach to a contentious issue.
The proposed ordinance would apply to unincorporated areas under the county's direct jurisdiction, home to about 1 million residents. Fair Market Rent, established annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, varies by unit size and ZIP code.
County Counsel has 30 days to return to the board with the proposed ordinance.
Supervisors cited the economic impact of recent federal immigration enforcement actions as a driving factor behind the measure. Some communities have experienced decreased economic activity as families lost breadwinners and businesses lost customers and employees.
"In the face of inhumane federal actions and ongoing threats to immigrant families, the county has taken concrete steps to protect renters," Solis said. "These are not symbolic gestures, but real action that meets the needs of those impacted."
Solis emphasized that tenants would still owe back rent to landlords, but the higher threshold provides "important protection against eviction" while the county mobilizes other resources to help families remain housed.
The move builds on earlier action the county took in October 2025, when supervisors declared a local emergency in response to federal immigration raids. The declaration is typically reserved for natural disasters but empowered the county to mobilize resources and request state and federal aid for impacted communities.
The county also launched an Emergency Rent Relief Program in late 2025 to aid residents affected by immigration raids and other emergencies. In September 2025, the board approved nearly $30 million for rent and mortgage relief targeting two groups: residents who lost homes or income in January 2025 wildfires, and immigrant families facing financial hardship due to federal immigration raids.
The program, administered by the Department of Consumer and Business Affairs, provides eligible households up to six months of rent assistance, capped at $15,000. Applications opened Dec. 17, 2025.
The county's tenant protection efforts have drawn both support and opposition. Tenant advocates, labor organizers and immigrant-rights groups have rallied pressing the county for stronger protections that don't force tenants to disclose immigration status.
Landlord associations have pushed back, arguing eviction moratoriums strain housing providers. They cite the COVID-era eviction ban as a cautionary example, claiming many tenants never repaid rent, leaving small landlords carrying the debt.
Hahn urged cities throughout Los Angeles County to implement their own tenant protection ordinances, noting that while the county can only act in unincorporated areas, individual cities have authority to enact similar measures.