I am a small landlord currently facing a dire situation, as my tenant hasn't paid rent for nearly a year. Despite being a supportive provider of housing, I am now facing financial strain and emotional stress due to a tenant who is abusing legal loopholes for her advantage. She has a staggering history of 13 prior evictions and continues to exploit tenant laws, portraying false narratives and utilizing every possible excuse to delay eviction. My experience is not isolated; many landlords in LA and beyond face similar struggles.

Every day, small landlords like me, many of whom are simply renting out spare rooms, face financial ruin due to tenants leveraging current laws structured in favor of tenant protection. While these protections are crucial, they must be balanced to ensure that landlords are not victimized by non-payment or squatting. The current system is being exploited to the detriment of property owners who are doing everything right yet bear the brunt of these inequities.

According to a study by the National Multifamily Housing Council, the rate of non-payment and eviction abuse is rising, causing significant financial repercussions on small landlords. In Los Angeles alone, there has been a 15% increase in reported cases of rental fraud over the last two years. Yet the legal protections for landlords remain woefully inadequate. This imbalance creates a hostile environment where landlords must fight tooth and nail for months, if not years, to reclaim their property.

We need legislation that offers robust protections for landlords, ensuring fair and timely eviction proceedings against tenants with a history of delinquencies. This includes the establishment of a centralized database where landlords can verify tenant histories, more stringent allowances for evictions in documented cases of non-payment, and a streamlined process for addressing false allegations used to delay proceedings.  

I support strong tenant protections, but I also believe housing disputes must be handled in a way that prevents rent from becoming a weapon for delay on either side. When a tenant reports serious housing or safety problems—such as habitability violations, mold concerns, or other code issues—rent should not automatically be withheld for months while the dispute drags on. Instead, the city or housing authority should require rent to be paid into a court-approved or government supervised escrow account once a report is submitted and accepted for inspection.

This approach protects tenants’ health and safety by ensuring repairs are addressed, while also protecting responsible small landlords from prolonged nonpayment that can cause financial harm. If the landlord completes the required repairs and the issue is verified as addressed, escrow should be released according to the outcome. If the tenant does not act in good faith—such as refusing reasonable access for inspections or repairs—enforcement should proceed without further delay.

Also, if a landlord must perform major construction that affects habitability or the tenant’s comfort and safety, the system should require the landlord to provide reasonable temporary alternative housing (for example, hotel lodging or an equivalent accommodation) for the period it is necessary. This keeps families safe and housed while repairs are completed.

By uniting our voices, we can urge policymakers to address these inequities and implement fairer, more balanced laws that protect both landlords and tenants from exploitation. Let us create a fair system where housing providers can continue to offer homes without the constant fear of financial destruction. Please join me in signing this petition to bring about change for small landlords everywhere.