SACRAMENTO — State lawmakers nearing a deadline for action to avert mass evictions of California tenants who can’t pay their rent because of the coronavirus pandemic are working on a measure that is likely to provide only a short-term solution, those involved in the negotiations say.
The proposal is expected to keep a statewide moratorium on eviction proceedings against tenants hurt economically by the pandemic in place through the beginning of next year. A longer-term solution for tenants and landlords who are encountering economic problems of their own because of nonpayment of rent would be put on hold, in hopes the federal government would step in with relief money.
Those involved in the talks declined to get into specifics of the plan, which must pass the Legislature by a two-thirds vote before midnight Monday in order to take effect next week, when the current statewide eviction moratorium expires.
“It is a stopgap,” said Debra Carlton, a lobbyist for the California Apartment Association, which represents owners and developers of rental properties. “We’re really hoping that the federal government will provide additional aid.”
With millions of Californians out of work because of the pandemic — and as many as one in seven tenant households reporting that they did not pay their rent on time in recent months — the Legislature has struggled to come up a way to avoid mass evictions while also ensuring that landlords are able to meet their own financial obligations. After closing a projected $54 billion budget deficit, the state does not have money to dedicate to the problem.
A plan to offer landlords tax credits in exchange for forgiving missed rent died last week after officials estimated it would cost the state about $13 billion. A measure that is still alive, AB1436 by Assemblyman David Chiu, D-San Francisco, would give tenants until 2022 to make up rent they could not pay because of a loss of income related to the coronavirus, but landlord groups oppose that lengthy timeline.
“What we know for sure is that California is likely not going to be able to provide the ultimate solution to the problem,” Chiu said. “The ultimate solution is for the federal government to step in and pay people’s rent.”
The Democratic-controlled House passed legislation in June that would provide $100 billion in emergency rental assistance and $75 billion to keep homeowners out of foreclosure. It has gone nowhere in the Republican-controlled Senate, and there has been little progress made in Congress toward a relief package.
Legislative leaders, Gov. Gavin Newsom, landlord groups and tenant rights advocates are under pressure to reach a deal on rent by Friday. The legislative session ends Monday, and any bill must be in print for at least 72 hours before a final vote. Eviction courts are set to resume hearings two days later, on Sept. 2.
Chiu said the negotiations are settling on an approach that would be revisited in the new year, when there may be a new president and Congress that could provide California with more financial resources.
“Clearly the Trump administration is not going to do that, and it is my profound hope that a Biden-Harris administration would.” he said. “So given that political reality, we have had to consider our policy options within those significant constraints.”
Alexei Koseff is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: alexei.koseff@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @akoseff
"term" - Google News
August 27, 2020 at 04:34AM
https://ift.tt/3b2mWIU
California renters likely to get only short-term eviction relief from state - San Francisco Chronicle
"term" - Google News
https://ift.tt/35lXs52
https://ift.tt/2L1ho5r
Bagikan Berita Ini
ReplyDeleteThe earliest an Unlawful Detainer complaint are often filed is after three days plus the day of service. for instance , if the notice is served on a Monday, that day isn't counted.
How to Stop Eviction in California