Governor Extends Hotel Stays until March 8 for Wildfire Evacuees and First Responders

Governor Newsom’s Executive Order N-14-25 extends hotel stays for wildfire evacuees and first responders in Los Angeles County until March 8, 2025. This critical Executive Order temporarily suspends tenancy laws and allows hotels to continue providing shelter to displaced residents and first responders, offering much-needed flexibility for operators and stability for guests. This page offers essential resources to help hotel operators navigate the order and meet the ongoing needs of evacuees and responders.

A list of questions and answers to common questions is below:

Q. What does the Executive Order mean for hotels?

The referenced Executive Order states that persons displaced from their primary residence in Los Angeles County as a result of the wildfire emergency are deemed to have transient occupancy status for their stay, up until March 8, 2025. After that date, regular transient and tenancy laws apply. This means that, for covered hotels, evacuees may stay at the property until March 8, 2025 without establishing tenancy.

Q. Does the Executive Order apply to all hotels?

No, the Executive Order only applies to hotels in Los Angeles County which are normally subject to Transient Occupancy Tax via county or city regulations. Hotels outside of Los Angeles County are NOT subject to the Executive Order, and regular establishment of tenancy statutes remain in effect.

Q. Does the Executive Order apply to first responders or other response personnel?

No, as noted above, the Executive Order only applies to persons displaced from their primary residence as a result of the wildfire emergency.

Q. My hotel is located in Los Angeles County and is hosting displaced persons subject to the Executive Order, are there any suggested actions for my hotel?

Yes, CHLA has developed a guest acknowledgment form which it recommends hotels provide to guests to verify that the persons are in fact displaced persons and that they are aware of the effect of the Executive Order. For these guests, be sure to update your automated systems to reflect the longer permissible stay timeframe and communicate your hotel’s availability with those guests.

Q. Do I collect Transient Occupancy Taxes on the extended stay?

It depends. The Executive Order permits local governments to collect Transient Occupancy Taxes for the full duration of the transient occupancy. To the extent that the local ordinance permits extended collections, then collection is appropriate. Note, some jurisdictions require collected Transient Occupancy Tax on stay longer than a specified duration (typically 30 days) to be remitted back to guests. Hotels should refer to their local Transient Occupancy Tax ordinances and guidance from local tax collectors.

Q. Will there be another Executive Order expanding the effect of Executive Order N-14-25 to other counties?

Potentially, but this is not guaranteed. The Governor is aware of the current housing situation and the need for expansion. If an Executive Order is issued, CHLA will send an update with more information.

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