Local prosecutors say they are cracking down on price gouging that was widely reported in the media in the days following two deadly wildfires in Altadena, Pacific Palisades and Malibu. The fires destroyed, damaged or otherwise rendered thousands of homes uninhabitable and turned distraught, homeless residents into desperate bidders in an already overheated local real estate market.

A spokesperson for Hydee Feldstein Soto said: "The City Attorney's Office is evaluating approximately 650 price gouging complaints, the majority of which are related to rent." hollywood reporter.

Newly elected Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hockman noted in a statement that law enforcement has not yet brought a price gouging case to his own office, but explained that it will seek the harshest possible penalties for such attacks. punishment, noting that “these predatory behaviors are more than just crimes— "They are a direct attack on our communities during a time of unprecedented loss and suffering," he said, adding that he believed illegal price increases were an issue beyond the housing market and involved everything from hotels to medical equipment during this crisis. to a range of “essential goods and services” including veterinary care.

On Jan. 15, Soto announced that her office had filed criminal charges against two men for violating the Palisades wildfire curfew enacted to prevent looting. Two days ago, Hochman unveiled a series of charges related to residential burglaries since the Palisades and Altadena fires, which have so far burned more than 37,000 acres and killed at least two dozen people.

While firefighters continue to head to hotspots, price gouging has been one of the bleak storylines that has emerged. Luxury real estate agents and Netflix for sale sunset Star Jason Oppenheim cited state law that prohibits property owners from charging more than 10 percent above market rate in areas designated in emergency proclamations. He explained to BBC News that he had encountered this problem himself on a property that had previously sold for $13,000 a month to rent. "(My client) offered $20,000 a month, he offered six months upfront, and the landlord said, 'I want $23,000,'" Oppenheim said, adding: "We had landlords take advantage of the situation ”