(KTLA) – While those displaced by the Eaton and Palisades fires are still reeling from the loss of their homes and, in some cases, loved ones, many of them say they’re being victimized yet again by price-gouging landlords. 

Pasadena native Totress Beasley took a devastating hit during the Eaton Fire, losing her home a day after paying off her mortgage.  

“We evacuated not knowing our house was going to be on fire, but came back to ruins, it’s gone,” the 64-year-old told affiliate KTLA. “We’re in this circumstance with so many other people, victims of the fire.”  

Beasley added that she and her son, Aaron Miller, are pushing on and dealing with a whole new problem: criminal landlords jacking up rent to unbelievable prices for even one-bedroom apartments.  

“I’ve been quoted maybe 5,000 [a month],” Beasley said of a one-bedroom apartment she inquired about. “Some of my friends have talked to people, and they said $6,000 plus, and then one girl told somebody was charging $8,000.”  

Her strategy, she said, is just to keep looking until she finds a landlord that cares more about humanity and less about their pocketbook.  

In a Wednesday morning press conference, newly elected L.A. County District Attorney Nathan Hochman did not hold back when speaking about landlords trying to exploit victims of the wildfires.  

“The price gouging is particularly despicable because these are people who are looking at this situation and asking how [they can] make the most amount of money from people desperately seeking housing, supplies and services because they’ve lost everything,” Hochman remarked. “I will tell you, with respect to this price gouging, we have seen people increase their prices for rooms [or] houses they are leasing by 100, 200 and 300 percent.” 

During the current state of emergency in L.A. County, landlords are prohibited from increasing rents by more than 10% above previously advertised rates.  

Housing and tenants’ rights advocates report landlords raising some prices by 120%. In one particularly egregious listing that has since been removed, a Santa Monica property previously listed for $12,750 a month before the fires jumped to $28,000 a month. 

There are, however, gray areas like bidding wars. If a renter comes in with an offer higher than 10% of the previously advertised rate, that’s not necessarily considered price gouging experts say.  

“Of course people are trying to take advantage,” Miller said of his and his mother’s situation. “They use terms like ‘We’re going to work with you,’ you know, for $5,000, $6,000 a month for a one-bedroom, tiny, 800-square-foot apartment where you’re going to end up sleeping on the floor.”  

Hochman and other county leaders have sent clear signals that criminal and civil penalties for price gouging will be enforced during the current state of emergency.  

“Here again is my warning: If you’re one of those people who has engaged in price gouging, not only do you need to stop it immediately, I would strongly recommend that you go back and fix it…go back and refund the amount you have overcharged people,” he said. “We will certainly take that into consideration in deciding whether to charge you. So, if you want to abide by the law, you could benefit from it right this second.” 

Los Angeles city officials have also launched a new “intake system” to receive reports of price gouging through the city’s 311 telephone number.