Cities throughout the Bay Area are taking a pause on evictions.
Although San Francisco has blazed a trail in bringing displacements to a standstill, other cities will not be undone.
Hayward
Hayward passed its iteration with a 90-day moratorium on residential evictions for non-payment of rent cases and no-fault evictions that would otherwise be allowed under the ordinance. Refreshingly, the landlord can come to the mediating table to participate in negotiating payment agreements when the tenant claims a hardship related to COVID-19. Taking a balanced approach, Hayward requires tenants must be able to document the loss of income. Expected to be launched on April 15, the program will prohibit from charging late fees and filing eviction actions until 90 days after the expiration of the moratorium.
More details here
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Oakland
Oakland City Council is expected to put a halt on evictions caused by coronavirus income disruptions when it convenes in the imminent future. We will be closely following what the sure-to-be-passed ordinance will look like.
Get a preview here
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Unincorporated Alameda County
In Alameda County, the Board of Supervisors approved an urgency ordinance proving a 30-day moratorium on evictions in the unincorporated parts of the county if renters can demonstrate a substantial loss of income as a result of the coronavirus.
Alameda
Alameda City takes a bit of an inventive approach by not banning evictions outright, but by creating an affirmative defense to eviction actions when the tenant has a substantial loss of income, extraordinary out-of-pocket medical expenses, or extraordinary child care needs. Going a step further, Alameda bans landlords from shutting off a tenant's utilities for reasons unrelated to an emergency.
You can read the ordinance here
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Berkeley
Berkeley has forbidden evictions of all kinds for individuals and businesses when they can't pay their rent or mortgage if they can show they were affected by the shelter-in-place order. The ordinance also stipulates that a landlord may not charge or collect a late fee for rent that is delayed for reasons related to the public health crisis.
San Jose
San Jose's moratorium on evictions will be in effect for 30 days with the possibility of an extension each month. To qualify, residents must notify their landlords either before or on the day their rent is due, as well as provide documentation such as notices from schools shutting down, doctor’s notes, quarantine advisories or pay stubs, showing they have faced a substantial loss of income due to the virus.
