The Los Angeles City Council finds that:
A. There is a severe shortage of decent, safe and sanitary rental housing in the City of Los Angeles and this shortage most severely affects elderly, disabled and low-income persons.
B. Many elderly, disabled and low-income persons reside in residential hotel units.
C. The Los Angeles Housing Department currently designates 336 hotels as residential hotels, which contain 18,739 units in the City of Los Angeles. An additional survey of residential hotels billed for annual fees by LAHD in 2006, revealed that 87% of residential hotels did not request exemptions for tourist units. (Amended by Ord. No. 187,122, Eff. 8/8/21.)
D. As a result of the removal of residential hotel units from the rental housing market, a housing emergency exists within the City of Los Angeles, acutely impacting elderly, disabled and low-income persons.
E. Residential hotel units are endangered housing resources and must be protected.
F. The Los Angeles City Council recognized the housing emergency caused by the loss of residential hotel units and enacted an ordinance that established a moratorium on the demolition or conversion of residential hotel units to any other use. This Interim Control Ordinance became effective on May 24, 2006.
G. The conversion and demolition of residential hotel units affect those persons who are least able to cope with displacement in the City of Los Angeles' housing market.
H. It is in the public interest that the conversion and demolition of residential hotel units be regulated. Furthermore, in order to protect the resident tenants and to conserve limited housing resources, remedies must be provided where unlawful conversion or demolition has occurred.