Los Angeles to shut off water and power to homes hosting large parties or gatherings

cbsnews.com ^ | 9/6/2020 | cbsnews.com

[bitt]

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said on Wednesday that he is authorizing the city to shut off utility service to properties where large parties and gatherings are held, CBS Los Angeles reports. Garcetti said that, starting Friday, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power will cut off water and power service in "egregious" cases where unpermitted large parties and gatherings take place.

The announcement came hours after City Councilman David Ryu introduced a motion to increase penalties for property owners who hold large house parties in violation of public health orders. It wasn't clear whether Garcetti's announcement was related to that motion.

In the motion introduced Wednesday, Ryu said property owners who skirt building and safety rules or city laws, such as the Los Angeles party house ordinance, are in violation of COVID-19 public health orders and the city's party house ordinance, which became law in 2018.

Under the proposal, penalties for large gatherings could include water and power shutoff, permit prohibitions and having a certificate of occupancy held or revoked for any "large, close-contact, largely maskless gatherings, in direct violation of City Emergency Orders and County Health Orders".

"Despite a pandemic that has killed thousands in Los Angeles, some homeowners are choosing to put everyone at risk by renting out their homes to massive house parties," Ryu said. "This is irresponsible bordering on deadly, and it must be stopped."

"Whether it takes shutting off utilities or revoking their permits, we must do what it takes to shut these party houses down," he added.

[caww]

As long as they can keep extending their ‘state of emergency status’ they have the power to infringe where they want pretty much.