LOS ANGELES (AP) — On Tuesday, Los Angeles County officials are set to vote on a proposal to declare a state of emergency aimed at assisting residents impacted financially by ongoing federal immigration raids. This measure would empower the LA County Board of Supervisors to implement rent relief for tenants who have been adversely affected due to the crackdown on immigrants.
Should the declaration pass, it would facilitate the allocation of state funds for various services, including legal aid. The relief program would be accessible to residents through an online application portal expected to launch within two months. Supervisor Lindsey Horvath's office has indicated that this move could also be the precursor to an eviction moratorium, although such a measure would necessitate separate action from the Board of Supervisors.
Concerns among landlords are mounting regarding the potential financial implications of another round of rent relief, coming on the heels of an extended ban on evictions and rental increases that occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. The ongoing immigration raids in Los Angeles have intensified since June, under the policies of the Trump administration, which have incited public protests and led to the deployment of the National Guard and Marines in the area for over a month.
Federal agents have been actively detaining immigrants—along with some U.S. citizens—at various locations like Home Depots, bus stops, car washes, and farms. Supervisors Horvath and Janice Hahn have expressed that these immigration raids have fostered an atmosphere of fear, destabilizing both households and businesses in the region. Horvath has stated that families are being targeted, disrupting education and silencing workers. She emphasized that declaring a state of emergency is a form of resistance against such federal actions.
Recently, the five-member Board voted 4-1 to advance the declaration for a vote at their regular Tuesday meeting. Supervisor Kathryn Barger cast the sole dissenting vote, asserting that the immigration raids do not meet the criteria for a state of emergency and could adversely affect landlords. Barger mentioned that she expects potential legal challenges to arise from the county’s eviction moratorium instituted during the pandemic, which had already led to several lawsuits.
Landlords, represented by Daniel Yukelson, CEO of the Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles, are reportedly still feeling the repercussions of the COVID-era restrictions that resulted in substantial financial losses from uncollected rent. While Yukelson acknowledged the empathy landlords feel towards tenants and their families affected by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activities, he expressed skepticism regarding the claim that many tenants are unable to pay their rent due to these enforcement actions. He warned that allowing rent payments to be deferred again in response to ICE enforcement could lead to further deterioration of affordable housing in the community.
