Tag: LA County

WEST HOLLYWOOD—The city of West Hollywood indicated on its website it is reminding local shoppers and businesses that a sales tax rate change will go into effect on Tuesday, April 1, 2025. The sales tax rate in the West Hollywood will change from 10.25 percent to 10.50 percent due to a Los Angeles County increase.

The city of WeHo indicated in a news release that Measure A, the Los Angeles County Homelessness Services and Affordable Housing Ordinance, was approved by LA County voters in the General Election in November 2024. It imposes a countywide one-half percent (0.50 percent) sales tax on every $1 of goods sold in LA County to support home ownership, provide rental assistance, increase mental health and addiction treatment, reduce and prevent homelessness, and provide services for children, families, veterans, domestic violence survivors, seniors, and people who are disabled and experiencing homelessness.

It repeals the Measure H countywide sales tax; the net effect of the new measure is to increase the sales and use tax rate by one-quarter percent (0.25 percent) on all taxable sales in Los Angeles County.

The California Department of Tax and Fee Administration has posted a Special Notice regarding new Sales and Use Tax rates effective April 1, 2025. The Special Notice can be accessed on the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration website at https://www.cdtfa.ca.gov/formspubs/L974.pdf. This Special Notice is being mailed and emailed to California taxpayers.

The sales tax rate change is unrelated to Measure WH, which was approved by West Hollywood voters in the General Election in November 2024. Measure WH has not enacted a new sales tax. If, in the future, Los Angeles County or a regional government agency imposes a sales tax that impacts West Hollywood, Measure WH will automatically redirect one-quarter percent (0.25 percent) of those sales tax funds collected in West Hollywood to the city, to be used to maintain the services residents have indicated are important.

For additional details about the Los Angeles County sales tax rate change that will go into effect on Tuesday, April 1, 2025, visit the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration website at www.cdfta.ca.gov or email the Los Angeles County Homeless Initiative at homelessinitiative@lacounty.gov.

For more details contact Annie Ruiz, West Hollywood’s Revenue Manager, at (323) 848-6499 or at aruiz@weho.org. For people who are Deaf or hard of hearing dial 711 or 1-800-735-2929 (TTY) or 1-800-735-2922 (voice) for California Relay Service (CRS) assistance.

By Trevor

On Friday, May 24, the city of Santa Monica announced on its website that the Los Angeles County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs (DCBA) started accepting applications for a second round of the Los Angeles County Rent Relief Program last week.

The deadline to submit applications is Tuesday, June 4, 2024, at 4:59 p.m. PDT. Led by the LA County Board of Supervisors as an effort to decrease evictions of tenants for non-payment of rent, the program will distribute over $68 million in financial support to qualified landlords adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The program will provide up to $30,000 per rental unit to landlords for unpaid rent and eligible expenses dating from April 1, 2022, to the present. To qualify, units must still be occupied by impacted tenants, and eligibility will be prioritized based on the following factors:

Affected units located in the high and highest need geographies as defined and identified in the LA County Equity Explorer Tool.

-Landlord or tenant whose household income is 80% or below LA County Area Median Income (AMI).
-Landlords who can fully satisfy tenants’ debt for the eligible period upon receipt of rent relief grant.
-Landlord owns no more than four rental units.
-Landlords who do not meet all four factors may apply but will have lower priority.

If an applicant has already submitted a complete application, the County is advising not to submit another application for the same impacted rental unit/tenant. If an applicant has already been awarded a grant under this Program, the existing application will be reviewed for additional rental arrears and if eligible, will be notified by the Program.

Those interested in applying for the LA County Rent Relief Program can review eligibility requirements and access the application directly by visiting the program portal at www.lacountyrentrelief.com. Submission of a completed application is not a guarantee of funding.

Free technical assistance in multiple languages is available daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Early submissions are strongly encouraged.

By Trevor