"Greedy landlords shouldn't profit from human tragedy," argued one housing defender. "Put people over profits for once!"
An aerial view shows the devastation caused by the Palisades Fire in Pacific Palisades, California on January 9, 2025.
(Photo: Josh Edelson/AFP/via Getty Images)
Brett Wilkins
Jan 12, 2025
COMMON DREAMS
With some Los Angeles-area landlords jacking up rental listing prices by 50% or more as historic wildfires rage, housing advocates in the nation's second-largest city are calling for an immediate eviction moratorium and rent freeze.
As California authorities have noted in recent days, state Penal Code Section 396 prohibits taking "unfair advantage" of consumers during times of emergency or disaster. Landlords cannot raise rent by more than 10% of the price immediately prior to the emergency. Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency last Tuesday.
"If you're a renter who has been impacted by the fires, remember that you have rights!"
"It's called price gouging," California Attorney General Rob Bonta, also a Democrat, said during a Saturday news conference. "It is illegal. You cannot do it. It is a crime punishable by up to a year in jail and fines."
That isn't stopping some landlords from trying to profit from the deadly wildfires. Tenant rights advocate Chelsea Kirk—the director of policy and advocacy at the L.A.-based Strategic Actions for a Just Economy—has created an open database of more than 100 Zillow listings in which landlords have raised asking prices for rents by more than the legal limit, and in some cases by over 50 or even 75% or more.
Activists said there are two related things officials can do right now to mitigate the disaster's impact on renters.
"We need a rent freeze and eviction moratorium," the anti-capitalist collective People's City Council—Los Angeles said on social media.
NOlympics LA said, "L.A. City Council needs to implement a rent freeze NOW."
"Price gouging in the wake of disaster is unacceptable, this is simple and could be done immediately but will L.A. leaders even propose it?" the group added. "We need an eviction moratorium to stop landlords [from] evicting people to cash in on crisis."
Temporary eviction moratoriums and rent freezes were implemented at the national, state, and local level during the Covid-19 pandemic. While California's moratorium did not protect everyone from eviction, with thousands of renters removed from their homes under various exceptions, evictions plummeted thanks to the policy. However, by 2023 eviction rates had returned to—or surpassed—pre-pandemic levels.
The L.A. Tenants Union noted that "in the midst of all this destruction, eviction courts are still churning."
"The 6th floor of the downtown courthouse is packed today," the group added. "We demand an emergency eviction moratorium and a rent freeze."
With thousands of Los Angeles area families now unhoused due to the fires, desperate victims are vulnerable to these unscrupulous landlords and real estate agents. Kirk wants them to know—and exercise—their rights.
"Because California is currently under an emergency declaration, rental price gouging is illegal," she told Common Dreams. "If you see a rental listing with a significant price increase—such as more than 10% over the pre-emergency price—you should report it to the attorney general's office immediately, and confront the landlord or agent about it, if you feel comfortable doing so."
Kirk continued:
That said, I recognize this is an incredibly vulnerable time, especially for people who have lost their homes and are urgently trying to secure housing. Confronting a landlord may feel risky and might compromise your chances of getting the place. But it's crucial to remember you have rights, even if you've already signed a lease. If you realize after signing that the landlord engaged in price gouging, don't hesitate to push back. There are groups actively working to ensure these laws are enforced and to support tenants in these situations.
Bonta offered similar advice: "If you know someone who's been a victim of price gauging please report it."
As for the landlords and agents trying to capitalize on disaster victims, Kirk said that "their actions are not only illegal but profoundly shameful."
"The community sees what they are doing, and we will hold them accountable," she told Common Dreams. "While I do not have much faith that officials will penalize landlords, we—the tenants and community organizers—will not sit idly by. We will take action, whether through organizing, direct action, or other means, to expose and stop these exploitative practices. Renters deserve to be treated with dignity, especially during times of crisis."
Bonta noted how new technology is being utilized to determine prices, and it's not just landlords and their agents using it.
"Some of our hotels and some of our landlords use algorithms based on demand and supply to set their prices," the attorney general said. "If those prices lead to prices higher than before the emergency by 10% that's against the law."
"If you're a mom and pop and you're not aware of these laws now you are aware," Bonta added. "Ignorance is not an excuse."
'Frustrating': LA fire official slams GOP lawmaker’s response to crisis
Image via Free Malaysia Today/Creative Commons.
Image via Free Malaysia Today/Creative Commons.
January 12, 2025
ALTERNET
As Los Angeles firefighters continue to do what they can to fight the raging brush fires across the city, President-elect Donald Trump is questioning their competence — while one Republican congressman is threatening to withhold aid until the problem is solved.
California Fire Foundation Chair Brian Rice on Sunday shut down both the president-elect's and Rep. Warren Davidson's (R-OH) assessments of the ongoing crisis.
Pointing to Trump's recent social media post — in which he asked, "Why can't they just put out the fires?" — MSNBC's The Weekend co-host Symone Sanders Townsend asked Rice to explain how his crew is "providing resources not just to communities, but to the firefighters who are fighting these fires themselves."
She added, "This is not like a fire breaking out on your stove in the kitchen."
Rice replied, "That's exactly right. It is a firefight. It is a fight against nature. And until somebody can have control over the wind, we're at the mercy of the weather right now."
The California Fire Foundation leader emphasized that he tries to ignore social media posts like Trump's, as they can become "frustrating" to read.
Rice then noted that he saw a print media news article recently quoted "a congressman from Ohio who probably has little to no experience with a wildfire, and certainly not a California wildfire," suggesting "that the federal government should stop aid until we control the fire problem."
READ MORE: 'Lack of empathy': Laura Ingraham’s brother slams her 'twisted propaganda' during LA wildfires
He added, "People need to understand fire has been a part of the nature of California in this country since since the beginning of time, when you add people, there's 40 million people in California, changes the fuel load. You can't manage every acre of forest land. And this is not a forest fire. This is a brush fire that transitions at the higher levels to more forested areas at the lower level, to urban areas and urban conflagration areas. When the wind is blowing and the fire gets ahead of steam, you are not going to stop it. California firefighters are the best in the world at fighting this type of a fire. And right now, everything is settled down."
"Everybody is focused on two things," Rice continued. "The most important — getting our community out of harm's way, and taking care of, and putting this damn fire out. And until the weather changes for us, people can stay and talk and do all they want, but we're at the mercy of the weather right now."
Watch the video below or at this link
As Los Angeles firefighters continue to do what they can to fight the raging brush fires across the city, President-elect Donald Trump is questioning their competence — while one Republican congressman is threatening to withhold aid until the problem is solved.
California Fire Foundation Chair Brian Rice on Sunday shut down both the president-elect's and Rep. Warren Davidson's (R-OH) assessments of the ongoing crisis.
Pointing to Trump's recent social media post — in which he asked, "Why can't they just put out the fires?" — MSNBC's The Weekend co-host Symone Sanders Townsend asked Rice to explain how his crew is "providing resources not just to communities, but to the firefighters who are fighting these fires themselves."
She added, "This is not like a fire breaking out on your stove in the kitchen."
Rice replied, "That's exactly right. It is a firefight. It is a fight against nature. And until somebody can have control over the wind, we're at the mercy of the weather right now."
The California Fire Foundation leader emphasized that he tries to ignore social media posts like Trump's, as they can become "frustrating" to read.
Rice then noted that he saw a print media news article recently quoted "a congressman from Ohio who probably has little to no experience with a wildfire, and certainly not a California wildfire," suggesting "that the federal government should stop aid until we control the fire problem."
READ MORE: 'Lack of empathy': Laura Ingraham’s brother slams her 'twisted propaganda' during LA wildfires
He added, "People need to understand fire has been a part of the nature of California in this country since since the beginning of time, when you add people, there's 40 million people in California, changes the fuel load. You can't manage every acre of forest land. And this is not a forest fire. This is a brush fire that transitions at the higher levels to more forested areas at the lower level, to urban areas and urban conflagration areas. When the wind is blowing and the fire gets ahead of steam, you are not going to stop it. California firefighters are the best in the world at fighting this type of a fire. And right now, everything is settled down."
"Everybody is focused on two things," Rice continued. "The most important — getting our community out of harm's way, and taking care of, and putting this damn fire out. And until the weather changes for us, people can stay and talk and do all they want, but we're at the mercy of the weather right now."
Watch the video below or at this link
No, the Hollywood sign is not on fire
Issued on: 09/01/2025 -
05:37 min
From the show
As Los Angeles battles the worst fires in its history, AI-generated images of the Hollywood sign engulfed in flames are going viral on social media. The iconic Hollywood sign remains untouched as of this Thursday, although the wildfires continue to spread. We tell you more in this edition of Truth or Fake.
Issued on: 09/01/2025 -
05:37 min
From the show
As Los Angeles battles the worst fires in its history, AI-generated images of the Hollywood sign engulfed in flames are going viral on social media. The iconic Hollywood sign remains untouched as of this Thursday, although the wildfires continue to spread. We tell you more in this edition of Truth or Fake.
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