Mayor Eric Garcetti has given the city permission to turn off water and power for any homes or businesses that blatantly disregard the ban on large gatherings.
On Wednesday evening, L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti announced that any properties hosting unpermitted large gatherings that repeatedly violate the health and safety order will face having power and water switched off within 48 hours. This will go into place on Friday, August 7.
“Starting on Friday night, if the LAPD responds and verifies that a large gathering is occurring at a property, and we see these properties re-offending time and time again, they will provide notice and initiate the process to request that DWP shut off service within the next 48 hours,” Garcetti said.
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This follows a number of illegal mansion parties in the hills, including one that resulted in a fatal shooting. Since bars have been shut down, these mansion parties at vacant rental properties “have essentially become nightclubs in the hills,” he said. He also referred to them as super-spreader events. noting that “the consequences of these large parties ripple far beyond just those parties.” “They ripple throughout our entire community.” He added, that according to research, 10% of people cause 80% of COVID-19 cases.
L.A. County has also issued a “legally binding” ban on large gatherings where violators will be subject to fines, imprisonment, or both.
While small family gatherings will not face the same level of enforcement, Garcetti strongly discourages them.
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