Los Angeles residents who can’t pay their rent this month can no longer use the COVID-19 pandemic as an excuse, and could soon face eviction from their homes. The move comes as the nation’s largest county voted to end its COVID-19 emergency declaration. 

Some estimates show that nearly a quarter million households in the LA metro area are behind in their rent. The city’s mayor is concerned about an imminent spike in evictions at a time when Southern California already leads the nation in the number of homeless people.