“I supported today’s motion because it’s an opportunity for our Board to turn our commitment to preserving affordable housing into meaningful action. It also has the potential to help protect the mom-and-pop property owners who have long provided much of our naturally occurring affordable housing by giving community-based organizations and local buyers a fair opportunity to compete with large, well-capitalized investors,” said Supervisor Kathryn Barger.
Barger called for a clear, carefully transparent process, including a progress update within 60 days so the Board can monitor implementation and address outstanding questions.
“As Altadena continues recovering from the Eaton Fire, preserving affordable rental housing and strengthening local ownership will be critical to the community’s long-term recovery. If implemented thoughtfully, this framework can help support those goals while ensuring community-based organizations have a meaningful opportunity to invest in the neighborhoods they serve,” Barger said.
The motion, authored by Supervisors Hilda L. Solis and Holly J. Mitchell, directs the Department of Consumer and Business Affairs to return within 180 days with a proposed ordinance establishing the COPA program.
The proposal would initially focus on residential properties with five or more units, as well as mobile home parks, and could eventually serve as the foundation for a future Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act program.
County officials said the program is intended to help address rising housing costs and displacement by allowing mission-driven affordable housing organizations, such as community land trusts and nonprofit developers, to compete for properties before they are sold on the open market.
The motion cites increasing corporate ownership of rental housing and growing affordability challenges as factors contributing to displacement in many communities.
The proposal builds on a 2023 report from the Department of Consumer and Business Affairs that recommended a combined Tenant and Community Opportunity to Purchase framework for unincorporated Los Angeles County. Supervisors opted to pursue the community purchase component first, allowing the county to establish administrative systems and evaluate implementation before considering a broader tenant purchase program.
Under the motion, county staff must also reassess the 2023 recommendations within 120 days, examining how the program would operate, how qualified nonprofit purchasers would be certified, methods for determining fair market offers, funding options, enforcement procedures and public notification requirements.
Staff must also identify potential funding sources and startup costs for the program.
If ultimately adopted, the proposed ordinance would establish a formal process for notifying certified nonprofit housing organizations when eligible properties are offered for sale and would require a public education campaign to inform landlords and potential purchasers about the new requirements before they take effect.
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