Mitchell, Solis commercial landlord licensing measure moves forward
Los Angeles County Supervisors Holly J. Mitchell (D-Inglewood, Hawthorne, Gardena, Compton, Carson) and Hilda L. Solis (D-Downtown LA, East LA, Pico-Union, Boyle Heights, El Monte, West Covina, Baldwin Park, Pomona) won a 4-0 vote from the Board of Supervisors this week to initiate the county’s first Commercial Rental Property License for landlords in unincorporated Los Angeles County.
The measure drew pushback from the commercial real estate industry earlier this week, which LACP first reported.
But Mitchell said the motion was about helping small businesses, and emphasized during the meeting that the motion does not cap commercial rents, require landlords to provide copies of leases, or block redevelopment projects, directly addressing the “soft rent control” criticism raised by the Building Owners and Managers Association of Greater Los Angeles (BOMA).
“Small businesses are the backbone of our communities, creating jobs and adding to the unique character of our neighborhoods, but far too many are being pushed out by predatory practices without any accountability. Creating a Commercial Rental Property License for our unincorporated communities will provide greater transparency on rental rates and allow us to target support where it’s needed most,” said Mitchell.
The motion directs county departments to report back with a licensing and reporting framework that would give the county its first clear picture of commercial rental conditions, including rents, vacancies and lease durations, while creating tools to connect small businesses with assistance and hold landlords accountable for violations.
It also directs departments to develop relocation assistance for businesses displaced by landlord violations of the county’s Commercial Tenant Anti-Harassment Ordinance, a commercial rent study to establish fair-market rents by region, and greater transparency in the redevelopment process, including possible notification requirements for affected commercial tenants.
“As Los Angeles County invests in strengthening commercial corridors, we have a responsibility to ensure longtime businesses are not displaced by rising costs and redevelopment pressures. This motion will help protect small businesses, preserve neighborhood character and ensure local entrepreneurs can continue contributing to the economic vitality of our communities,” said Solis.
The county’s commercial rent study is expected to be completed by December, informing a proposed ordinance for the license that would go before the board for a final vote in early 2027.
Barger breaks ground on $63.7M Baldwin Lake restoration
Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger (R-Palmdale, Lancaster, Santa Clarita, San Marino, Pasadena, La Cañada Flintridge, and portions of the San Gabriel Valley) joined county leaders and community partners this week to break ground on a $63.7 million restoration of Baldwin Lake and Tule Pond at the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden, marking a milestone in a project more than a decade in the making.
The restoration will improve water quality, enhance wildlife habitat, strengthen flood resilience and preserve the ecological and historic character of the lake, which serves as the ecological and cultural heart of the Arboretum and supports resident and migratory bird species along the Pacific Flyway. The project will also return the lake to its historic depth while improving water quality and habitat.
“This $63.7 million investment will protect a place that is part of the identity of the San Gabriel Valley and ensure it thrives for generations to come. We are investing in cleaner water, greater flood resilience, environmental restoration, and the long-term future of the Arboretum. After years of careful planning and partnership, today we are turning that commitment into action,” said Barger.
Norma E. García-González, director of the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation, said Baldwin Lake’s value extends far beyond the Arboretum. It is a critical refuge for wildlife in our highly urbanized region, providing essential habitat and an important stopover for migratory birds traveling along the Pacific Flyway, she said.
Bass presses Council to restore $2M for blighted properties
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass sent a letter to City Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson and the full council this week calling on members to restore $2 million in funding to clean and secure priority nuisance properties across the city, after the council stripped the funding from her proposed FY26-27 budget.
According to the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety, more than 100 priority vacant nuisance buildings exist citywide, often blighted, abandoned and posing public safety risks to nearby residents.
“Unfortunately, securing the legal authority against private property owners to address nuisance properties has been a challenge in the City of Los Angeles for decades. Now, I am calling on the City Council to restore this funding so that we can begin cleaning and securing priority nuisance properties across Los Angeles. This is about public safety. This is about improving our neighborhoods,” said Bass.
Bass has directed the department to identify additional properties littered with trash, debris and dilapidated structures, or where construction has stalled. Her office is also working with the department to strengthen enforcement tools against negligent property owners.
The Department of Building and Safety will work with each council office to address priority nuisance properties within their districts once funding is restored, said Bass.
Hahn proclaims Suicide Prevention Month, 988 Day in LA County
Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn (D-Long Beach, San Pedro, Diamond Bar, Whittier, Cerritos, Downey, Torrance, Redondo Beach, Hacienda Heights) won unanimous Board of Supervisors approval this week for a motion proclaiming September as National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month and Sept. 8 as 988 Day in Los Angeles County.
The motion directs the departments of Public Health and Mental Health to raise awareness of suicide prevention resources, including the 988 Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Crisis Line, Teen Line, the Trevor Project LGBTQ+ Suicide Hotline, and the California Department of Public Health’s Never a Bother Campaign.
Suicide accounted for 776 deaths in Los Angeles County in 2024, with youth accounting for about 10% of suicide deaths, 33% of self-harm hospitalizations and 49% of self-harm emergency department visits.
“Suicide touches every community in Los Angeles County, so we need to be raising awareness about these lifesaving resources as widely and thoroughly as possible. We’ve poured resources into beefing up our crisis response capacity precisely because we know that they can mean the difference between life and death, so we have to be equally committed to ensuring that everyone knows they’re there if and when someone needs them,” said Hahn.
LA County has become one of the few counties in the nation to ensure that 988 calls requiring an in-person response connect to 24/7 mobile crisis response teams instead of armed law enforcement.
