Update March 30, 2020: In an emergency executive order, Mayor Garcetti called for a rent freeze on all apartment units that fall under the rent stabilization ordinance (like Karen's apartment). A rent freeze means that rents can not be increased. The emergency executive order is non-retroactive though.
[dropcap size=big]C[/dropcap]ome April 1st, Karen isn’t paying her rent. She can’t.
A day player in the television industry, all of Karen’s work evaporated in mid-March when the coronavirus forced productions to end early.
Not only is the rent due, but it’s also actually going up.
On Tuesday, Karen received a notice from Integrity Property Management, a Burbank based company that manages over 1,300 apartments including Karen’s one-bedroom in Silver Lake. Her rent-controlled unit is being raised the allowable three percent under the rent stabilization ordinance.