The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has extended the emergency rent-gouging protections under California Penal Code Section 396, tied to the declared wildfire emergency. These protections remain in effect through at least February 27, 2026, subject to further extensions. It can only be extended for 30-day increments so that’s why they need to keep extending it or let it expire. We all wish they would just let it expire, so don’t be upset with the messenger of the information!
General rule:
Rent increases (including for new tenancies) are generally capped at no more than 10% above pre-emergency levels
Applies to most residential rental properties in LA County
Violations can carry significant civil and criminal penalties
Important exception – properties with no rental basis:
If a property was not rented at any time from January 8, 2024 through the present, it is considered to have no rental basis
In those cases, the initial rent may be set at up to 200% of the HUD Fair Market Rent (FMR) for the applicable ZIP Code
Proper documentation is critical to support the lack of rental history and the applicable HUD FMR