The Fair Access for Renters proposition hopes to restrict the kind of information that landlords can ask of tenants. This would prevent screening on the basis of criminal, eviction or credit histories.
Under the motions, landlords would need to be transparent about the screening criteria they use for evaluation of applicants. They also cannot pose any questions regarding tenants’ inability to pay rent or utilities during the pandemic.
Council Member Marqueece Harris-Dawson said he saw the motion as an accompaniment to legislation the city passed in 2016 that prohibits employers from asking about a job applicant’s criminal history until after an offer has been made.
The motions co-sponsors, Council Members Nithya Raman and Mike Bonin, consider these motions a necessary step to help those Angelenos experiencing houselessness.