The Los Angeles City Council voted Tuesday to prevent landlords from evicting tenants who took in a pet at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic — even if it was prohibited by their leases.
The 13-0 vote, with Councilmembers Heather Hutt and Katy Yaroslavsky absent, will etch into law a tenant protection that was introduced during the pandemic lockdown but that was slated to expire at the end of January. Supporters say the ordinance will avert further worsening of the homelessness crisis, as well as minimize further crowding at animal shelters.
Tenants who have unauthorized pets, however, must notify their landlord within a month. The ordinance does not apply to pets who began living in the rental unit after Jan. 31, 2023.
The issue was raised in February 2023 in a report from the city Department of Animal Services, which said tenants would be forced to decide between remaining housed or giving up their pets.