By Karen Ramirez, Program Manager and Community Organizer
The Los Angeles County Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) has launched a new webpage for the Commercial Tenant Anti-Harassment Ordinance, giving small business owners a tool to report landlord harassment and learn about their legal protections.
Adopted in 2022, the Commercial Tenant Anti-Harassment Ordinance (County Code Chapter 8.45) protects qualifying independently owned businesses and nonprofits with nine or fewer employees from landlord harassment, intimidation, and retaliation. These protections are especially important for small, community-serving businesses that face pressure to vacate their commercial spaces.
Under the ordinance, commercial tenants experiencing potential harassment may have legal options available. Examples of landlord harassment include physical or verbal threats, pressuring tenants to leave their spaces, disrupting utility services, or refusing to accept rent payments.
How Small Business Owners Can Report Landlord Harassment
The new DEO Commercial Tenant Anti-Harassment Ordinance webpage provides a straightforward way for business owners to submit a harassment report.
To get started:
- Visit the DEO’s Commercial Tenant Anti-Harassment Ordinance webpage.
- Scroll down to the reporting section.
- Enter your business name, business location, and contact information.
- Provide a brief description of the harassment you have experienced.
This resource can help small business owners document their experiences and connect with information about protections available under Los Angeles County law. Community organizing groups, legal service providers, and policy research teams can also share the tool with businesses, helping raise awareness of commercial tenant rights and identify patterns of landlord harassment.
Supported by the office of Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly Mitchell, this development represents an important step toward protecting community-serving businesses and helping them remain in the neighborhoods they have long served. Continued community organizing, legal support, and policy advocacy are necessary to ensure that these protections translate into meaningful change.
If you are a small business owner and need support filling the report reach out to Karen Ramirez, karamirez@saje.net or (213) 245-8161.
