California Renters Owe Landlords $1.8 Billion in Debt

California landlords are owed at least $1.8 billion in unpaid rental debt, ranking the state number two in the nation for total rental debt as COVID-19 era eviction moratoriums have ended, with evictions on the rise in some areas. Los Angeles landlords alone are owed an estimated $860 million, according to a recent analysis by Oakland based Policy Link, a research organization, and the USC Equity Research Institute—which focuses on advancing racial and economic equity nationwide. According to the research, as of late September about 11 percent of California rental households were behind on rent. The national average, the researchers said, was 15 percent....