After a three year campaign, community activists have won a rent control ordinance and just cause eviction rights in the city of Inglewood, part of the Los Angeles Metro Area. 9to5 California, as part of the Uplift Inglewood Coalition, fought to ensure these basic rights to prohibit rent from skyrocketing, and to ensure that tenants can only be evicted from their homes with good reason.
Together with Uplift Inglewood, 9to5 organized 14,000 residents to put our own rent control ordinance on the 2018 city ballot. We fought the sale of public land to billionaire Steve Balmer for his LA Clippers basketball stadium. We brought local media and tenants together for hours of public comment at city council meetings. In front of cameras, the Mayor couldn’t just walk away from us. The final victories came during a hearing with the Mayor and city council of Inglewood. The air was electric as tenants and community members packed the hearing room, sharing their stories and calling on elected officials to support them. With our display of collective power, we won a 5% annual cap on rent increases, with just cause eviction protections.
Of course our work is not over yet. We need to hold the Mayor and city council accountable with an elected board to oversee this ordinance. And we need to build on these victories by addressing all aspects of the housing crisis across California. Onward!
