Selling Sunset star Jason Oppenheim has accused rental properties of trying to profit from the LA wildfires by ‘illegally’ raising rents.
More than 12,000 homes have been razed and 37,000 acres of land destroyed as the raging inferno continues to rage through the Southern California city.
And celebrity real estate agent Oppenheim, 47, best known for his regular appearances on the Netflix reality show Selling Sunset, has lashed out at local landlords for overlooking state laws that prohibit people from taking advantage of a natural disaster.
A visibly emotional Oppenheim appeared remotely on the BBC political show with Laura Kuenssberg on Sunday: ‘I think it needs to be exposed, but we have landlords who are taking advantage of the situation.
‘I had a customer. We sent him to a house asking $13,000 a month. He offered $20,000 a month, and he offered to pay for six months in advance. And the landlord said, ‘No, I want $23,000 a month.’
He added, “There are laws against price gouging in California. They are simply ignored at the moment, and this is not the time to take advantage of situations, and it is also illegal to take advantage of a natural disaster.
Selling Sunset star Jason Oppenheim has accused rental properties of trying to profit from the LA wildfires by ‘illegally’ raising rents
More than 12,000 homes have been razed and 37,000 acres of land destroyed as the raging inferno continues to rage through the Southern California city
“I researched the law last night. You may not charge more than 10% of pre-disaster market rates.”
Los Angeles residents have been encouraged to evacuate their homes and strict water conservation rules have been imposed as a result of the inferno, which has claimed 16 lives so far.
In total, an estimated 153,000 residents are under mandatory evacuation orders and approximately 57,000 buildings remain at risk. Officials say at least 13 people are still missing.
“I can’t even put it into words,” Oppenheim said. ‘I never could have imagined this would happen here.
‘And maybe that’s naivety on my part. But communities like Altadena, you know, are very hard working class neighborhoods and these people not only lost their homes, but their belongings and their clothing.
“Forget the $50 to $100 billion damage caused, it’s emotional for everyone. I mean, I think everyone just has tears all day and, you know, in their eyes, not literally from the smoke, but also just because it’s emotional to see people struggling like that.”
He added: “We are so resilient… we will rebuild better and with stronger foundations.”
Several exits to the 405 Freeway, including Getty Center Drive, Skirball Center Drive, Sunset, Wilshire, Santa Monica and Olympic boulevards, are closed to reduce traffic in the West Los Angeles area.
Famed real estate agent Oppenheim blasted local landlords for overlooking state laws that prohibit people from taking advantage of a natural disaster
Residents of Mandeville Canyon and Brentwood try to flee to safety as the Palisades Fire begins to engulf several million-dollar celebrity homes (Photo: Eaton firefighters)
According to state authority Cal Fire, there are currently at least six fires burning, with the Palisades fire being the largest.
LA authorities overnight declared a local health emergency for the entire county due to poor air quality, stating that the fires had “severely deteriorated air quality,” posing “immediate and long-term risks to public health” .
As planes continue to drop fire retardant into Mandeville Canyon, aiming to create a defensive barrier around homes, federal agents continue to search for fire starters.
Elsewhere, there was understandable anger at “wasteful, entitled” celebrities, including Kim Kardashian, who were accused of squandering vital water supplies that could have been used to save homes.
Strict water-saving measures have been in place since 2022, with ‘ordinary’ residents being allowed to water their gardens twice a week for eight minutes.
Kardashian, who lives in a $60 million home in The Oaks — an exclusive gated community near the epicenter of one of this week’s fires — was fined by the city council that year for using 232,000 gallons more than her allotment .
Other celebrities, including Sylvester Stallone and comedian Kevin Hart, were also fined.
As thousands of City of Angels residents continue to evacuate, multiple drivers on Sunset Boulevard, located south of Mandeville Canyon, have reported being stuck in a gridlock
According to state authority Cal Fire, there are at least six fires currently burning, with the Palisades fire being the largest
The Mail on Sunday understands that Kardashian has since taken water-saving measures.
A neighbor of the wealthy TV personality told the Mail on Sunday: ‘These celebrities have a sense of entitlement.
‘Everyone was told that they had to cut back on water specifically for this situation, to save it for fighting fires. They kept giving water because they could pay the fines.”
Anger also grew against wealthy people who hired private firefighters for $2,000 an hour to protect their property.
Chris Dunn, owner of Covered 6, which provides the service to Hollywood’s elite, told the Mail on Sunday: ‘My phone is ringing off the hook. Demand has never been higher.’
A wealthy source said: “This week’s events have shown that you cannot trust the city to protect your property. I have the money, so why not?’