LOS ANGELES—Despite vehement opposition from one of its members, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted on Jan. 25 to extend eviction protections for many pandemic-impacted tenants in unincorporated areas through the end of the year. Supervisor Sheila Kuehl championed the extension of the eviction protection and associated freeze on rent hikes, insisting that despite signs the current surge of COVID-19 cases fueled by the Omicron variant of the virus is waning, thousands of people are still facing financial hardship and could face eviction for their inability to pay thousands of dollars in back rent. “I’m very happy to see our businesses reopening and people going back to work,” Kuehl said. “But the 250,000 people who became infected in the last seven days most likely do not have sick leave. And so when they have to quarantine in a home or place that they count on to be able …