PLF’s challenge to warrantless searches highlighted in Long Beach Business Journal

Earlier this month, the Long Beach Business Journal published an article expressing concerns about mandatory property inspections.  Although both tenants and landlords complain about the rental inspection process, the article states that “Long Beach has not faced practices that go against any laws, but landlords and tenants are concerned that this trend may not continue.”

The article describes PLF’s case against the City of Highland to show what can go wrong with the inspection process.  In that case, Karl Trautwein and his tenants repeatedly refused to allow the City of Highland to conduct a warrantless inspection of the rental property.  Yet the City made no effort to obtain a warrant.

“[A]ccording to Trautwein’s case, the city has refused to get a warrant and instead has threatened him by saying his rental permit would not be renewed.  This would make it illegal for him to rent his property and would force his tenants to move.  [Meriem] Hubbard and her clients claim this is a clear violation of the tenants’ Fourth Amendment rights.”