Since the end of the COVID-19 tenant protections, hundreds of households have been displaced through “renovictions,” or eviction for renovation work. By exploiting a loophole in LA’s Just Cause protections that allows evictions for “substantial remodels,” landlords are able to circumvent rent control, using renovations as a pretext to evict long-term tenants, re-list units at much higher rents, and gentrify our neighborhoods.
On September 26, 2024, the Mohawk Street Tenant Association received their third 60-day notice for “substantial remodel” work in 1.5 years. Since their Echo Park building was purchased by landlords Ariel Isaacson and Brandon Eshaghzadeh, they have fought tirelessly against relentless harassment including illegal cash4keys offers, the destruction of their common areas, and aggressive eviction threats. When this harassment didn’t work, the landlords launched a string of incessant legal battles against tenants, using the “renoviction” loophole to force elders and families to defend their homes of 20-35 years repeatedly in court.
The Mohawk Street Tenant Association and the LA Tenants Union demand that City Council put an end to this cycle by voting YES on a motion to close the renovictions loophole immediately. Although Mohawk tenants won their first two rounds of building-wide renovictions, with multiple judges ruling in their favor, they will have to begin fighting a third round in court at the end of November if City Council does not vote to provide immediate protections.
Our demands to City Council?
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Vote “YES” to amend the “Substantial Renovations” clause of the Just Cause protections to close the renovictions loophole in LA once and for all.
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Amend the motion to include an “urgency ordinance” for an immediate moratorium on all renovictions – including those at Mohawk Street!
How can you support?
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Join us at City Hall on Tuesday, October 29th at 9am and give public comment to voice our demands at upcoming City Council votes!
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Submit written comment online to make your support clear! Click here for further instructions and a sample script.
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Email and call your City Council representatives!