Beverly Hills Disallows Evictions For Major Remodeling

BEVERLY HILLS, CA — Beverly Hills City Council unanimously voted to disallow landlords from evicting tenants for the sole purpose of major remodeling.

The decision removes a provision in the Rent Stabilization Ordinance that allows landlords to evict tenants for the purpose of a major remodel in at least two building units. The decision was ultimately seen as a step to protect tenants with COVID-19 renter protections expected to expire on the first of the year.

The council's decision to remove such a provision was largely an effort to balance protections for tenants with incentives for landlords to keep rental options competitive, especially as the city sees an unprecedentedly high vacancy rate, council members said.

Many council members, like Vice Mayor Pro Tem Julian Gold, carefully considered whether the decision would overburden landlords who already suffered in the pandemic.

"There's been a lot of burden placed on landlords and landowners, some of which we haven't seen the consequences of," Gold said. "The other side of that, of course, is that we are here to protect the tenants too. That's got to be a balance, but it just can't be a lopsided balance."

In a lengthy discussion of the provision at a Dec. 13 City Council meeting, council members expressed concerns that the decision could create unintended vulnerabilities for tenants and discourage tenants from making necessary repairs.

Deputy Director of Rent Stabilization Helen Morales assured council members that this particular provision had not been used since at least 2017 and the city would employ more effective methods to maintain habitability standards in local rentals, like proactive screenings, she said. Beverly Hills was the only city in the area to allow for evictions for major remodels, Morales said.

The revision was first recommended to city council in 2020, but tabled when the COVID-19 pandemic prompted widespread eviction protections. With that clock quickly running out, the provision could put renters in a vulnerable position especially considering the figures to define a "major remodel" had not been updated in years and did not reflect inflation, according to Morales and Assistant City Manager Ryan Gohlich. Eviction protections on Wednesday were extended in Los Angeles County.

Some public commenters, including a representative of the Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles, opposed the council's vote, echoing council members fears that landlords may end up discouraged from renovating their buildings.

When the commission initially looked at the provision in 2020, renters and at large members supported removing the provision and landlords voted to keep it.