Wednesday, March 11, 2020

"San Jose Spotlight" reports "San Jose adopts a ban on evictions amid coronavirus outbreak" and San Francisco is considering a similar emergency measure

This is an excerpt of the report. The full report can be found here.

"Fearing severe economic consequences to vulnerable San Jose families, city lawmakers on Tuesday unanimously approved adopting a moratorium on evictions for residents who can’t pay rent because of lost income resulting from the coronavirus outbreak.

As the virus continues to spread across the globe with new cases every day, leaders are advising residents in more than 90 countries to stay home and avoid public spaces, events and the workplace.

But in San Jose, where families are grappling with the region’s exorbitant cost-of-living and crippling housing crisis, many are at risk of being pushed into poverty and homelessness if they can’t pay their bills.

The temporary moratorium, which will be in effect for 30 days with the possibility of an extension each month, is meant to protect residents who cannot make rent on a home or business by prohibiting landlords from evicting them. 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.

Landlords who fail to comply could face penalties and fees. City leaders will vote on enacting the moratorium after a policy is drafted in two weeks and return to City Council next week to vote on extending the ban to small businesses . . ."

"Neighboring cities are considering similar ordinances. In San Francisco, District 5 Supervisor Dean Preston proposed a ban on evictions for residents who can’t pay rent due to the virus or from government-recommended health precautions, according to the San Francisco Examiner."

Contact Nadia Lopez at nadia@sanjosespotlight.com or follow @n_llopez on Twitter

Also see: Preston calls for ban on evictions of tenants affected by coronavirus

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