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Dear Constituent,
California renters who were unable to pay rent due to the pandemic were protected from eviction by state law through to Sept. 30. Even though the statewide eviction moratorium expires on Sept. 30, renters can still apply for rental assistance to get financial help to cover rent and utility costs.
California has significant funds available for rental assistance and unpaid utility bills, and applications will be accepted until those funds run out.
Renters who apply for rental assistance before midnight tonight (Sept. 30) will continue to be protected from eviction through to March 31, 2022. NOTE: Those renters must inform their landlord(s) in writing that they have applied for rental assistance, and they must not have been denied rental assistance due to their income being too high.
Under the rental assistance program, if you or a family member have been unable to cover your rent or utilities due to pandemic-related economic hardship, dating back to April 2020, or you anticipate not being to pay future rent or utilities, you could be eligible for up to 100% of what you owe. For more information on how to apply and whether you're eligible, please see my previous e-newsletter. I encourage anyone who thinks they may need this help to apply ASAP.
Renters who live in Alameda County or in the cities of Richmond or El Cerrito remain protected from eviction beyond today, because those jurisdictions passed eviction bans that stay in effect until the COVID public health emergency is lifted.
It's also important to note that regardless of where a renter lives, landlords cannot evict tenants for nonpayment in California unless the landlord goes to court first and obtains an official eviction order. Simply getting an "eviction notice," also known as a "pay or quit" notice, from your landlord is not enough to evict you.
If you do get a pay or quit notice from your landlord after Oct. 1, and you have not applied for the rental assistance, it's recommended that you:
- Apply for rental assistance immediately. For renters who receive an eviction notice, you may still be eligible for additional eviction protections, as long as you apply for rent relief within 15 days of receiving the notice
- Immediately fill out the California Declaration of COVID-19 Financial Distress Form and provide it to your landlord.
- Inform your landlord immediately in writing that you have applied for rental assistance.
- Seek legal help. See below for a list of local nonprofit legal services helping renters through this process.
These procedures can be complicated. Here are some of the local nonprofit legal services that are helping renters navigate the new eviction process:
As we continue to recover from the economic and other impacts of this pandemic, I'm very pleased that both financial assistance and eviction protections remain available so that we can all do our best to stay housed and safe. I hope you find this information useful.
It's an honor to represent you in the state Senate.
Sincerely,
Nancy Skinner
State Senator, District 9
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