L.A. City Council report will seek out landlords who keep homes vacant

LOS ANGELES — In an attempt to penalize landlords who keep units empty in the face of a growing housing crisis, the Los Angeles City Council this week ordered the preparation of a report on the number of vacant residences in the city. City Councilman Mike Bonin made a motion in June calling for the report, along with Councilmen Marqueece Harris-Dawson, Paul Koretz and David Ryu. The action is an attempt to find housing that could be used for low-income or supportive housing.

“No bed in this city should be empty when people are being forced to sleep on pavement,” Bonin said. “Empty home penalties encourage landlords to keep people housed, and they help raise needed funds to create more affordable housing. This is an important tool for addressing one of the root causes of homelessness in Los Angeles, and it is a step we desperately need to take.” …READ MORE