Los Angeles County allowed an emergency rule capping rent increases at 10% above pre‑fire levels to expire in May after supervisors declined to extend it. The cap was created under Gov. Gavin Newsom's January 2025 emergency declaration following the Eaton and Pacific Palisades wildfires. County officials logged more than 2,000 complaints and issued over 2,000 cease‑and‑desist letters, while a Zillow analysis showed average rises near the fires of about 5%; advocates warn averages can obscure extreme cases. Tenants must now rely on local rent control, state law and consumer protections to contest steep hikes.
LA County Lets Post‑Fire Rent‑Gouging Cap Lapse — Tenants Could Face Big Hikes
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Los Angeles County allowed emergency rent‑gouging protections tied to the January 2025 Eaton and Pacific Palisades wildfires to lapse in May after the Board of Supervisors did not approve another extension.
The rule, put in place under Governor Gavin Newsom's January 2025 emergency declaration, capped rent increases at 10% above pre‑fire levels. The cap had been extended multiple times following the fires, but it expired when supervisors failed to renew it.
Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, whose district includes Pacific Palisades, led a motion to continue the emergency protections. She warned that renters — especially those on short‑term leases — could face steep and sudden increases now that the cap has ended.
“These price gouging protections continue to be necessary as construction and rebuilding continue, and as thousands of people remain displaced,” the motion said, as reported by the Los Angeles Times. It added that families on short‑term leases could face hikes of 50% or more without renewed safeguards.
Only Horvath and Supervisor Hilda Solis voted to extend the protections; Supervisors Kathryn Barger, Janice Hahn and Holly Mitchell abstained. County officials say they recorded more than 2,000 complaints alleging post‑fire price gouging and issued a similar number of cease‑and‑desist letters.
“Close to 90% of the complaints that we received involved allegations of rent increases,” said Morine Merritt of the county Department of Consumer and Business Affairs.
An analysis by the Los Angeles Times using Zillow data found average rent increases near the fire zones closer to 5% than to 50%, but tenant advocates warn those averages mask extreme individual cases. One family in Altadena has filed suit, alleging they were charged nearly three times the legal rent for almost 10 months after their home was damaged.
With the fire‑specific emergency protections ended, tenants must now rely on local rent‑control ordinances, state law and consumer protection enforcement to challenge large increases. Housing advocates and some officials warn that rebuilding delays and tight supply could place continued upward pressure on rents in affected neighborhoods.
What Tenants Can Do: Document any rent increases and lease terms, file complaints with the county Department of Consumer and Business Affairs, contact local tenant‑rights organizations for guidance, and seek legal advice if you believe protections have been violated.
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