Barrington Plaza evictions did not meet legal requirements, judge says

The eviction of hundreds of tenants from the sprawling Westside Barrington Plaza apartment complex did not meet the requirements of state and local law, a judge tentatively ruled Thursday.

The plaza’s owner, Douglas Emmett Inc., sought to evict nearly 600 tenants from the complex last year, saying it was necessary to install sprinklers and other fire safety improvements as a result of two major fires.

In the months after the eviction notices were served, hundreds of residents moved out. But more than 100 remained, and the tenants’ association sued, arguing that the evictions did not comply with the law. They framed their fight as an effort to protect a pocket of rent-controlled apartments in a neighborhood where housing costs are extremely high.

According to the preliminary decision rendered Thursday by Judge H. Jay Ford III of the Superior Court, the tenants will be able to remain in their homes.

The civil trial took place in April at the Santa Monica courthouse.

Two laws were at the center of the case: the state’s Ellis Act, which gives landlords the right to opt out of the rental industry, and the Los Angeles Rent Stabilization Ordinance, which controls rent increases. rent and discusses how the Ellis Act is applied locally.

In its preliminary ruling, Ford said the owner failed to meet both requirements.

Under the Ellis Act, landlords can evict rent-stabilized tenants in order to remove units from the rental market. Los Angeles’ rent stabilization ordinance, meanwhile, states that landlords can evict if they have a good faith intention to demolish the unit or permanently remove it from use as a rental unit.

The judge concluded that the company never intended to remove the units from the rental market when it sought to evict the tenants. Instead, the company planned to renovate the units and re-rent them.

The company “has always had the current and ongoing intention to renovate the units for future use as residential rental accommodations,” he wrote.

During the trial, the company argued that it met legal requirements for evictions. Lawyers for the landlords said safety measures forced them to evict tenants in order to install sprinklers following two major fires in recent years.

The company can still object to the decision, which is not final. The company did not immediately comment on the decision. But the tenants were celebrating Thursday.

“This victory is a testament to the strength, resilience and unity of our community,” the Barrington Plaza Tenants Association said in a statement following the decision. “The court recognized our rights and ruled in our favor. This decision marks a significant victory for tenants’ rights. »