A new UCLA study reveals that Black tenants in Los Angeles, particularly in neighborhoods with modest Black populations like Hollywood, Woodland Hills, and Koreatown, are disproportionately affected by evictions from Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs). These publicly traded companies own vast residential and commercial properties, impacting about 1.5 million housing units nationwide.
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Evictions During Economic Disruption
The study, conducted by Alexander Ferrer at the UCLA Luskin Institute on Inequality and Democracy, highlights how landlords, including major corporate entities like Equity Residential, responded to economic disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic by implementing practices such as lowering security deposits and relaxing credit checks. These strategies were “race-neutral,” according to Ferrer, but Black renters disproportionately felt their impact due to deep-rooted racial inequalities in housing.
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Tai’Leah and Tay’Laur Paige’s Experience
Tai’Leah and Tay’Laur Paige, two sisters evicted from a 300+ unit property in North Hollywood, represent the human toll of these corporate eviction practices. Their eviction began when they lost 50% of their income due to the Hollywood writers’ strike. Although they were approved for rent relief, the sisters encountered resistance from Equity Residential, which refused to accept the assistance…