The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to clarify requirements of the L.A. County Rent Registry after receiving hundreds of concerns and complaints from homeowners in unincorporated areas of the county.

“I move the Board of Supervisors to direct the Department of Consumer and Business Affairs to immediately rescind any requirements for property owners who reside in their home to register on the Los Angeles County Rent Registry and to update all forward-facing communications to indicate this change,” Supervisor Kathryn Barger, whose 5th District includes the Santa Clarita Valley, wrote in her motion.

In November 2019, the Board of Supervisors adopted a rent stabilization and tenant protections ordinance for rental properties in unincorporated areas of the county – which includes areas within the SCV that are not part of the city of Santa Clarita.

The ordinance went into effect in April 2020, and it was intended to standardize the amount of rent increases by landlords and provide protections against evictions without “just cause” for renters, according to Barger’s motion.

The ordinance also authorized the creation of a rent registry, requiring property owners to register all rental units annually. Renters would also provide information such as changes in tenancy, rental rates and amenities.

However, the ordinance does not apply to property owners who live in their home, but the creation of the registry was implemented with the requirement that all property owners must register their properties regardless of whether they are landlords.

This requirement quickly caused confusion and frustration as homeowners who do not rent their properties are not subject to the county’s rent stabilization ordinances, according to Barger’s motion.

According to Barger, the intention of the ordinance was not to have homeowners register to the rent registry if they do not rent their property. The county will immediately rescind any requirements for property owners who reside in their home to register on the county rent registry and update all forward-facing communications to show this change.