Tenants have been granted three more months of protection from eviction.Last month, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors extended its coronavirus eviction moratorium through Sept. 30, according to media reports.The eviction moratorium measure, which was up for expiration on June 30, prevents landlords of residential and commercial properties from evicting tenants who have endured pandemic-related financial difficulties.Officials also want to prevent commercial landlords from collecting back rent accrued since the pandemic’s start in March 2020 through the moratorium’s end.L.A. County is seeking to provide $10 million in rent relief programs to landlords of small businesses affected by the pandemic.Several days later, according to Gov. Gavin Newsom, the state also expanded its timeframe through Sept. 30. L.A. county, the city of Los Angeles and the state of California each have separate eviction moratoriums.Additionally, California will pay off all back rent for eligible tenants. To be eligible for $5.2 billion provided by the federal government to California toward this directive, tenants must pay at least 25 percent of what they owe by Sept. 30 and sign a declaration of COVID-19-impaired economic hardship. They also must earn 80 percent or less of the area’s median income.Newsom has endorsed the extension at a time when he is facing a recall election in November and when about 25 percent of California’s renters pay at least half of their income on housing costs, according to California Department of Finance data.Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles Executive Director Daniel Yukelson said that somehow L.A. County has extended its eviction moratorium twice not in violation of Senate Bill 91. “While I can appreciate a desire to protect the county’s renters, extending the eviction moratorium does very little for the small business, ‘mom and pop’ rental property owners in the county who have been struggling to get by without being able to collect the rent that is owned to them,” Yukelson said. “No other businesses are being forced to give away their services or products for free, yet housing providers are being forced to do exactly that courtesy of the county’s eviction moratorium.” Regarding the state’s extension, Yukelson added: “Unfortunately, the state will not be taking action to preempt all local eviction moratoriums beyond Sept. 30 … and, as a result, housing providers will be left to deal with a hodge-podge of different eviction moratoriums and rule books to follow.” Government actions carry far-reaching implications for landlords, he added..“Many owners I have spoken to have had to liquidate retirement savings to keep their buildings afloat or have sought a loan forbearance,” Yukelson said.
