In a move set to reshape tenant-landlord dynamics, Los Angeles tenants will soon have the opportunity to defer two months of rent payments before their landlords can initiate eviction proceedings.

The Los Angeles Board of Supervisors approved this measure with a 4-1 vote on Tuesday, and the new rules are slated to come into effect on April 16. These regulations pertain to rents aligned with fair market values, specifically $2,085 for a one-bedroom apartment and $2,601 for a two-bedroom unit.

Supervisor Kathryn Barger was the sole dissenting voice, expressing concerns that this change undermines the rights of property owners.

“My decision to vote ‘no’ is rooted in the belief that it’s unjust for local governments to address renters’ financial challenges at the expense of landlords,” Barger commented, as reported by Fox 11. “Landlords are also facing their own financial difficulties, and it’s not fair to impose additional burdens on them.”

This policy update, an amendment to the 2022 Rent Stabilization and Tenant Protections Ordinance, aims to ease the financial pressures currently felt by many residents of Los Angeles, according to its co-sponsors, Supervisors Janice Hahn and Hilda Solis.

“This is a modest but crucial adjustment,” Hahn stated. “By extending the grace period by an additional month, we hope to provide renters with some much-needed relief without disproportionately impacting landlords who rely on rental income to meet their financial obligations.”

Solis attributed the necessity for an increase to recent immigration enforcement actions.

“In the face of inhumane federal actions and ongoing threats to immigrant families, the County has taken concrete steps to protect renters,” Solis said in a statement. 

“These are not symbolic gestures, but real action that meets the needs of those impacted. Raising the threshold to two months provides important protection against eviction while recognizing that many renters will still have to pay back unpaid rent to their landlords,” she added.

It’s unclear what the effect on landlords will be but housing agencies are expected to monitor the impact on homelessness rates in unincorporated areas, according to Fox 11.

Los Angeles is known for being especially tenant-friendly, and landlords have complained about the difficulty associated with evicting tenants before. The new changes could add to the debate.