An eviction defense attorney and groups focused on housing explained landlord harassment, the importance of acting quickly and the options for renters facing eviction during Long Beach City College’s “Know Your Tenant Rights and Eviction Defense” workshop on Oct. 14 at the TTC campus.
Landlord harassment is an annoying or inconvenient behavior in a deliberate attempt to intimidate, pressure or harm tenants in violation of their legal rights.
The workshop was open to both students and community members struggling with landlord harassment, with renters in Long Beach being offered direct access to an attorney and other services during the session.
Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (LAFLA) Eviction Defense Attorney Amanda Golob spoke to participants on how to address issues like lease agreements, roach infestations and the eviction process.
A simple thing to do is to document all contact with your landlord regarding any rental or lease agreement issues in an email, taking photos and save receipts as evidence to support your case.
According to the State of California Attorney General’s website, under California law, residential tenants are protected from certain rent increases and may be protected from certain types of evictions.
It is very important to act quickly if you are served with an eviction notice, told to move out or raise your rent illegally.
Many legal procedures that affect tenants move quickly, so tenants should not ignore important notices. Instead, they should reach out for legal assistance as soon as possible to discuss their options.
“Most of our representation is after the landlord has filed in court, so a lot of what we try to do in the community is provide education like today,” Golob said.
LAFLA is a local organization that seeks to achieve equal justice for people living in poverty across Greater Los Angeles, offering clinics to educate the community.
Presentations by Long Beach Residents Empowerment (LiBRE), a grassroots tenant-led organization, and Stay Housed L.A. offered ideas and supportive solutions.
“Housing is a human right,” Jill Collins of LiBRE said.
Stay Housed LA is a partnership between Los Angeles County, the City of Los Angeles, local community and legal service providers from Lancaster to Long Beach.
In California, tenants are protected from landlord harassment under laws that prohibit them from using intimidation, threats, or force to get tenants to vacate their homes.
Workshops are offered in both English and Spanish to aid and support students and community members experiencing landlord intimidation or other issues regarding their living conditions.
“The goal right now is we would come quarterly to share information and offer legal support. We hope to build up to a legal clinic to do one-on-one services with students on campus,” LIBRE Senior Manager of Outreach and Education Lilly Pierdra said.
