Long Beach has already gotten a preview of what this year’s super El Niño could bring to the region: severe rain, flooding and large swells with the potential to damage property.
But what does that mean for renters, who make up nearly 60% of the city’s occupied housing units, according to census data? Experts recommend talking to your landlord now and taking preemptive action to protect yourself and your personal property before storms arrive.
Weatherproof your property before the storm
Liz Castro, program manager for the Fair Housing Foundation, advises tenants to look for gaps that could allow water in, especially near windows and sliding doors. “Some people have even gone as far as taking a hose and kind of shooting it at the window” to identify infiltration routes, she said.
Even if you don’t go that far, if you see leaks or roof damage, document the issues and alert your landlord now, so there’s time to fix them before the deluge, she said.
It’s also a good opportunity to test the heater, she said, because “a lot of tenants find out that the heater is not working when they go to turn it on.” Notify your landlord now before the weather cools off and demand for heater repairs increases, she said.
Send all communications to your landlord or property manager in writing, she added. It helps if you frame your requests to your landlord as improvements that will help them protect their own property, she advised.
More: Easy ways to prepare before El Niño storms hit Long Beach
Leading up to heavy rains, secure any outdoor furniture, grills, plants and air conditioning units, she said.
If you’re particularly worried about flooding, you can pick up sandbags, available at select locations before storms, she said.
Indoors, tenants should move items that are valuable or easily damaged away from windows, exterior walls and possible leak areas, said Paul Barragan Monge, who helps oversee housing and tenant protections at the Los Angeles Department of Consumer and Business Affairs.
Secure insurance coverage
Though landlords are responsible for the building, renters are largely responsible for their personal property, Barragan Monge said. One of the best ways to make sure you’re protected is buying renters insurance if you don’t yet have it and reviewing your policy if you do, he said.
Check to see whether personal property and loss of use coverage are included in your policy, he said. You can also call an insurance agent to ask what protection is offered in the event of a flood, Castro added. Be sure to take photo and video inventory of your items and their condition for evidence, in case you need to file a claim later, Barragan Monge said.
Standard renters insurance does not protect against flooding, so if you’re concerned, you may want to consider flood insurance for personal property, even as a renter. (You can check the Long Beach floodplain maps here.) Renters can use a tool through the National Flood Insurance Program to get quotes on policies here. Note that flood insurance typically goes into effect 30 days after your purchase, according to the NFIP.
Be sure to review your lease, which can include important information about what is and isn’t protected and what action to take in the event of damage, Barragan Monge said.
In the event of damage
If your property is damaged during a storm, immediately document it with photos (as long as it is safe), alert your landlord in writing and request repairs, Castro said.
Under California law, all renters are protected by the implied warranty of habitability, “the right to live in a home that is safe and in livable condition for the duration of their tenancy,” Barragan Monge said.
That means that if your unit sustains severe damage that jeopardizes safety, your landlord is generally required to address the problem promptly, he said.
Demonstrate a good faith effort to get your landlord to make those repairs — and document your efforts with videos, photos, email and texts, Castro said. But if you’re faced with unresponsiveness, consider reaching out to the city’s bureaus of code enforcement or environmental health, Castro said.
Bureau inspectors can document unsafe conditions and identify violations, which gives tenants something to “hang their hat on” if they eventually decide to pursue legal action.
Additional resources
For further information and support, Castro and Barragan Monge recommend tenants reach out to Long Beach Residents Empowered, a local tenants rights group. Eligible tenants navigating housing instability after a natural disaster can apply for the city’s renter aid program, which opens applications during certain windows.
If tenants are considering legal action, they can reach out to BASTA, the Legal Aid Foundation or the county’s small claims court advisors. (The advisors can coach tenants about the process but cannot represent them in court.)
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