On Sept. 14, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors launched Stay Housed L.A. County, a countywide initiative to provide legal assistance and support for tenants facing eviction amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The launch included the release of stayhousedla.org, a website connecting tenants with useful information about their rights, workshops for residents who need legal assistance, and other support. Stay Housed L.A. County is a partnership between the County of Los Angeles, legal-aid groups and community-based organizations to provide emergency support to tenants in need.

Virtual know-your-rights workshops will also be offered by participating community organizations to provide L.A. County residents with critical information about permanent and emergency tenant protections that can help tenants facing eviction or other challenges related to their rental housing. Community organizations will provide targeted ongoing support to help tenants with case management support.

“As many residents face immeasurable uncertainty and grapple with health, mental health and economic hurdles, we want to provide working families with as much stability and peace of mind as possible,” said Supervisor Kathryn Barger, 5th District, who serves as chair of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. “By equipping at-risk tenants with the resources they need, Los Angeles County can ensure they stay safe, stay strong and stay housed.”

“L.A. County, along with a number of cities, the state and the federal government, have all passed protections for tenants facing eviction due to the pandemic,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl, 3rd District, who authored the motion authorizing the creation of Stay Housed L.A. County. “These protections only work, however, when people know their rights and can take advantage of the legal protections. That’s the mission of Stay Housed L.A. County: to provide the information and legal representation people need to keep from getting kicked out of their homes while we weather this very challenging time.”

Stay Housed L.A. County serves as an important resource for tenants who are facing housing uncertainty – including bilingual residents and those with undocumented status – about their rights and who need legal support navigating their interactions with their landlord and the legal system. When tenants have legal representation, a family’s chance of avoiding homelessness due to eviction increases by over 70%.

According to a UCLA study, about 365,000 L.A. County residents are at risk of evictions due to the COVID-19 economic recession. The Board of Supervisors extended the Los Angeles County Temporary Eviction Moratorium through Sept. 30, which instituted temporary tenant protections related to COVID-19 countywide, excluding jurisdictions that have enacted their own protections.

For information, visit stayhousedla.org.