The Los Angeles City Attorney's Office sued Blueground, a short-term rental company, for allegedly violating state anti-gouging laws by significantly raising rents following recent wildfires. The Board of Supervisors, meanwhile, directed the county's Department of Consumer and Business Affairs to investigate corporate landlords using algorithmic software to manipulate rental prices.
The Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office filed a lawsuit this week against Blueground, a short-term rental company that advertises properties across several platforms.A home is engulfed in flames during the Eaton fire in the Altadena area of Los Angeles County on Jan. 8.According to city prosecutors, Blueground violated state anti-gouging laws by jacking up the rent by more than 50% in some cases after the recent wildfires.
“Customers can apply policies and guidelines to all of their sites with one easy step, protecting residents against inappropriate rent increases and allowing them to ensure compliance with rent gouging laws in a declared state of emergency.” In response to these concerns, cities like San Francisco have enacted bans on the use of algorithmic rent-pricing software to prevent potential price-fixing and protect renters.
The group identified more than 2,800 instances of rent gouging across LA County. Chelsea Kirk, who testified before the board, highlighted the severity of the issue.“Unless we prosecute and put landlords in jail for this, they won’t be stopped,” she said, noting that only two landlords have faced criminal charges in the county.
Jeff Torres, a local resident, shared that his friend was evicted just three days after the fires, only to find rental prices in nearby Temple City soaring — one listing showed a two-bedroom, two-bath apartment priced at $3,600.
RENT INCREASES WILDFIRES ALGORITHM PRICE GOUGING LAWSUIT
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