Letters to the Editor: Eviction restrictions are bad for small landlords -- and renters

To the editor: I see why the Los Angeles Times thinks it helps to publish an article like “Worried about getting evicted? Here’s a breakdown of your protections.” But short-term solutions are going to cause real damage to both tenants and landlords in the long run.

What do you think happens when landlords cannot cover their obligations to their lenders? This isn’t a “not my problem” solution for tenants.

Well-heeled landlords will ride this out and take legal action when the restrictions on evictions during the COVID-19 pandemic expire. Conversely, many mom-and-pop landlords who rely on rents for their livelihoods will, sadly, lose their life savings and properties to foreclosure.

And, if tenants think they’ll be able to organize and make demands of a bank the same as they would a landlord, they’re in for a very rude awakening.

With the recent legislative onslaught of rent control and tax increase proposals on commercial properties, why would any investor see Los Angeles as a worthy risk? We’re not solving the problem; we’re making it worse.

Mike Kichaven, Sherman Oaks

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To the editor: Many landlords like me are small rental property owners, from immigrant families or are senior citizens who depend on their rental income to live. Although there may be some unscrupulous owners, most of us are not cold-hearted, money-hungry people.

I believe it is up to city and county governments to provide assistance to their residents. To demand that landlords do so in the absence of significant government help is just unfair. I doubt very many people receiving government or corporate retirement pensions would agree to cut their payments to zero or even a few hundred dollars.

Instead of singling out landlords, I suggest you point the finger at all elected officials.

Anna Nicola, Los Angeles