Tenants vs. Landlords in Long Beach

Long Beach renter Larry Watson hasn’t had running water in his apartment for at least two years. To use the toilet, his friends and neighbors carry in water and to take a shower he has to check into a motel. No, it’s not the drought... it’s landlord negligence. And this kind of story is not unusual for Long Beach, where more than half its residents are renters. Last night, the Long Beach City Council took the first step in approving a plan that would give renters more leverage over their landlords. Tenants, though, say the proposal doesn’t go far enough.