Hermosa Beach Eviction ban extension plan
by Dan Blackburn
An effort by city officials to balance the rights of commercial and residential landlords and their tenants during the pandemic recovery will be extended following Tuesday’s meeting of the Hermosa Beach City Council.
The city’s existing commercial and residential eviction moratorium incorporates the state’s procedures for eviction protection, set to expire June 30.
Council voted 5-0 to consider adopting a new residential eviction moratorium to become effective immediately upon expiration of the law, and updating it to “reflect current economic, regulatory, and public health climate.”
A new ordinance would extend the moratorium through the end of this year. If approved, it would extend the requirement that residential landlords obtain building permits before evicting tenants “to demolish or substantially remodel property.”
The council also plans to consider extending a requirement that commercial landlords obtain building permits before evicting tenants to demolish or substantially remodel property.
In a report to the council, City Attorney Michael Jenkins advised “caution” if a new residential moratorium is to be drafted.
“New legislative findings will need to be made demonstrating how present-day conditions justify the moratorium, and the moratorium protections will need to be tailored to those conditions,” Jenkins said.
In other action, the council:
— Approved a special long-term agreement with the Arts Group of Hermosa Beach to produce the annual Fine Arts Festival on the Community Center lawn. The vote was part of the city’s efforts to “encourage, permit, and support community group, nonprofit, or business organized events on city property that support physical activity, beach culture, and family-friendly social interactions.”
–Approved use of the Hermosa Beach Community Center Gymnasium between the city and the Hermosa Beach Youth Basketball League, allowing temporary use of the Kelly Basketball Courts for games during the 2021 summer season. The league has operated a coed basketball league for more than 750 South Bay youth for 30 years.
— Received and filed a scathing letter from resident Howard Longacre critical of the private swearing-in late last month of new council member Ray Jackson. Longacre wrote that the current agenda “improperly lists Jackson as a city council member. This agenda is presumptive, and furthermore there has been no announced and public swearing-in of Jackson.” ER