L.A. County Supervisors Propose To Continue Rent Caps in Unincorporated Areas

For Rent sign (Photo – Steven Damron)

On Tuesday, June 5, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 to extend the current 4% rental increase cap on rental units located in unincorporated areas for another six months (through December 31, 2024) and to impose new rent caps as of January 1, 2025.

By News Desk

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­The L.A. County Supervisors narrowly voted to limit rent increases for many tenants in unincorporated areas to 3% or less starting next year. The proposal was put forward by Supervisor Holly Mitchell, who said the move came in response to the region’s continued affordable housing crisis.

Most apartments built before Feb. 1, 1995 are already covered by a county rent control ordinance passed in 2018. The rules apply only to unincorporated areas such as Altadena, City Terrace and various pockets of South L.A.

Small Landlords

The proposal included a carve-out for small landlords (owning no more than 10 units). Under the plan, next year they will be able to add an additional 1% increase on top of what larger landlords can charge.

The Vote

Supervisors Holly Mitchell, Lindsey Horvath and Hilda Solis voted in favor of the 3% cap. Supervisors Kathryn Barger and Janice Hahn voted against it.

The vote puts unincorporated areas of L.A. County more in line with a number of other cities — such as Pasadena and Santa Monica — that already cap increases in rent-stabilized properties to 3% or less.

Next step

Tuesday’s vote will not be the final step. L.A. County’s Department of Consumer and Business Affairs will soon bring changes back to the Board of Supervisors for another vote.