California eviction moratorium extended, Protections Into 2021

 California eviction moratorium extended, Protections Into 2021.

In the final hours of the day before eviction proceedings were set to resume — and the final hours before the legislative session ended — California lawmakers passed a stopgap measure to permanently protect potentially millions of renters throughout the state from losing their apartments due to nonpayment of rent caused by the pandemic.

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the bill into law shortly after. He said renters need protection from evictions when they can’t pay rent due to the economic shutdowns, and property owners need help to avoid foreclosure. In a statement, he said the new law is “just a bridge to a more permanent solution once the federal government finally recognizes its role in stabilizing the housing market.” 

“We need a real federal commitment of significant new funding to assist struggling tenants and homeowners in California and across the nation,” his statement read.

Assembly Bill 3088 prevents evictions for nonpayment of rent for tenants financially impacted by the coronavirus and related economic shutdowns. Legislators behind the bill estimate that millions of Californians face eviction and struggle to pay rent directly because of the pandemic. Just in Los Angeles County, about 138,250 households did not pay any rent at least once between May and July, according to a joint report released Monday by UCLA and USC, and almost 40,000 households are three full months behind on rent. 

Of the renters in L.A. struggling to pay rent, about 98,000 have been threatened with an eviction. 

Most evictions across the state were halted in April by the California Judicial Council. But, like many other municipalities, the City of L.A. approved a local eviction moratorium that will last at least as long as the state of emergency and give renters a year after the emergency order is lifted to pay back rent.