The eviction of hundreds of tenants at the massive Westside apartment complex Barrington Plaza failed to 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 fire sprinklers and other fire safety upgrades following two major blazes. In the months since the eviction notices were served, hundreds of residents have moved out.
Under the Ellis Act, landlords can evict rent-stabilized tenants in order to remove units from the rental market. The Los Angeles Rent Stabilization Ordinance, meanwhile, says landlords can evict if they intend in good faith to demolish the unit or remove it permanently from rental housing use. The judge found 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.