The moratorium protects you in two ways. Landlords in Oakland had expressed their opposition to the proposal, instead calling for an immediate end to the moratorium. Under state law, if your landlord files an eviction lawsuit against you, even if the lawsuit is not for a legally valid reason, you still have to respond in order to protect your rights. The law limits rent increases for rent-controlled tenants. This protection applies even. View more videos and watch CBS News, a live news stream featuring original CBS News reporting. Which City Officials Supported the Oakland Evictions Moratorium? Ive spent time listening to multiple perspectives, and as Council President I am committed to moving forward a proposal that is responsible and meets our broader goals of housing stability, homelessness prevention, and certainty about the end of the moratorium, said Council President Nikki Fortunato Bas. At 11:59 p.m. on Saturday, April 29, Alameda County's eviction moratorium expired. Man shot, pistol-whipped in San Rafael robbery, Heres how Oaklands mayor wants to balance the budget, Livermore PD seizes gun, drum magazine, arrests 2, Pimp sentenced to prison for sex trafficking of minors, History of Curry vs. LeBron in playoffs: Who has, Warriors vs. Lakers playoffs: Start times, TV schedule, Curry drops 50 as Warriors win Game 7 vs. Kings, Celebrities spotted at Kings-Warriors Game 7, Two men charged for theft, burglary during NFL Draft, Le Creuset just launched a dreamy new color for spring, Our fitness expert weighs in on this years top spring, Picnic-planning ideas for the spring season, Influencer mom found guilty after faking attempted, Body found near Hwy 24 off-ramp in Oakland, Missing Petaluma girl located, safely returned home, BestReviews.com - Top gifts to make everyone happy this spring, Surprise your mom with one of these Mothers Day, Mothers Day inspo: This foot massager has 20,000, Drew Barrymores Walmart collection is perfect for, Best Mothers Day gifts for the budding plant mom, Best Mothers Day Gifts for moms obsessed with books, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Oakland's eviction ban ends in July. What's next for renters? Create your own unique website with customizable templates. We encourage you not to sign any legal documents without fully understanding what you are agreeing to. The only exception is if your landlord Breach of lease (noncompliance with the terms of the lease), Refusing to sign a new lease with materially similar terms, Causing substantial damage to the premises, Denying the landlord access to the unit if required by law, If you are being evicted under the Ellis Act (removing the whole property from the rental market for 10 years) OR. Some people have since objected to her comments, saying her use of the word yellow was offensive. 3) It limits certain rent increases during the State of Emergency. Now through July 14, 2023: Current eviction moratorium remains in place; July 15, 2023: Eviction moratorium and late fee moratorium end; July 1, 2024: Rent increase moratorium ends: Existing rent increase moratorium is a 3% cap with no pass . OAKLAND, Calif. - The Oakland City Council early Wednesday morning made a decision toward ending the city's moratorium on evictions. How dare you? The city of Oakland and county of Alameda took brave and decisive action which protected untold numbers of tenants during a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic, she said. What Types of Evictions Does the Moratorium Cover? "We knew that the moratorium would end at some point, but we need a responsible phase-out instead of dumping people out all at once on the streets, Edwards continued, explaining that tenants have expressed to ACCE that they need time to prepare for the end of the moratorium. needs these 5 sites to thrive so the city can recover. On Tuesday, Fife said she made her comments because she was triggered by the comparison to slavery. What Kind of Proof Do I Need to Show That I Cant Pay Rent Because of COVID-19? housing for homeless people. 3) It limits certain rent increases during the State of Emergency. Political chaos has erupted in this Peninsula city over one issue: Housing, Beneath Michelin-starred restaurants success, landlord dispute is boiling. ends, your landlord could try to evict you for not paying the rent accrued during the emergency period, but Beeler disagreed that the city and county are taking landlords property, writing in her 40-page order that the moratoriums are temporarydo not absolve renters of their obligation to pay rent, and include exceptions allowing the landlords to leave the rental business.. I can't sleep at night because I know I have to pay this bill tomorrow and that bill the next day and I don't have enough money to pay, and I have to work day and night, three jobs to get by, said Lynn Truong, Oakland property owner. The blanket ban on almost all evictions lasts as long as Oaklands State of Emergency. More than 100 people spoke during public comment. English & Spanish); (510) 763-5877 (main number, tenant organizing) Bas and Kalb have been working on the legislation for months. If none of those are an option for you, you could have a friend or coworker testify in court. Under Oakland's moratorium, renters who are protected by the city's Just Cause for Eviction policywhich typically applies to all buildings constructed before 1996 can only be evicted in very rare cases. A limited Bay Area eviction ban remains in place, but for how long? (View legislation here and presentation here. Oakland leaders are considering phasing out the city's COVID pandemic-related eviction moratorium after nearly three years. The exception to this requirement is ground-up new construction units that received a Certificate of Occupancy within the past 10 years, on a rolling basis. Judge allows Oakland eviction moratorium to stand, for now Bay Area Legal Aid - (510) 250-5257. This story was updated shortly after publication with a statement from City Attorney Barbara Parker. Legal Help: You may want to ask your landlord if you can pay a reduced For questions about the end of the City's moratorium, contact a RAP Housing Counselor at 510-238-3721 . You could use pay stubs, a Williams is also named as a plaintiff in a 2022 lawsuit against the city of Oakland and Alameda County over eviction moratoriums. In March 2020, Councilmembers Bas and Kalb authored and passed the residential eviction moratorium in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to promote housing stability, encourage compliance with shelter-in-place orders, prevent transmission of COVID-19, and avoid unnecessary displacement and increased homelessness. (Oakland residents only) 510-251-2846 FOR HOMEOWNERS While some cities and counties in the Bay Area tied their phase outs of pandemic-related eviction protections to the end of the states COVID-19 state of emergency, the policy as proposed by Council members Nikki Fortunato Bas and Dan Kalb will allow the city to help tenants and property owners transition out from under the moratoria. 2) Even after the State of Emergency ends, it protects Oakland tenants financially impacted . Some types of proof include pay stubs, a letter from your current or former employer, a letter from your childs school, or medical records. There are also extra protections for nonpayment evictions in the future. amount of rent during the crisis if you still have some income. evidence or get into facts of the case. Scott Budman reports. Signs posted by landlord George Wu who is attending an Alameda County Board of Supervisors meeting, began a hunger . Simon-Weisberg said she and other tenant advocates have been urging some council members to add stronger protections against frivolous evictions, but the council did not ultimately include the stronger language. Tenants will not owe back rent for what went unpaid in the time since the eviction moratorium first took effect in March 2020, as long as they can demonstrate financial losses due to COVID. In recent weeks, political drama around the eviction ban engulfed Councilmember Carroll Fife, who at a previous meeting rebuked several landlords for suggesting they had effectively become slaves to their tenants because of the moratorium. Edwards said he sympathizes with the financial burden small landlords have faced during the pandemic. some kind of notification to your landlord about your rent payments. Fifes supporters held signs that showed the impacts of lynching and other images of slavery. The moratorium applies to all tenants in the City of Oakland who are covered by Oakland's Just Cause for Eviction Ordinance. She joined The Chronicle in 2016 after graduating from Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism. During the September hearing, Beeler said the ongoing moratoriums gave her pause. Who Can I Contact in Oakland for Help If My Landlord Is Still Trying to Evict Me? It includes the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE), The top 10 most expensive home sales in Oakland, reported the week of April 24, Single-family house sells for $1.7 million in Fremont, Single family residence sells for $3.3 million in Palo Alto, California consumers struggling? What Does the Law Do About Rent Increases? If your tenancy is covered by Oaklands rent No individual city can pass a law that says otherwise. The Oakland City Council debated Tuesday whether to allow the city's Covid-19 eviction ban to expire at the end of April, and enhance the . If you do, you can easily win the lawsuit without having to produce evidence or get into facts of the case. If you are unable to pay rent during the State of Emergency, and it is because of COVID-19 or some situation caused by COVID-19, you are protected from being evicted in the future for failure to pay that rent. Causing substantial damage to the premises Im proud to have led the Councils work to end the moratorium responsibly, with time to inform and support tenants and property owners before the end date of July 15, and Im grateful that we added new tenant protections to help avoid the eviction cliff that we see happening in other cities., Oaklands eviction moratorium has kept renters in their homes during risky and unprecedented times and undoubtedly kept many from becoming homeless. Just Cause OrdinanceThese Permanent Tenant Protections will be added: For evictions based on non-payment of rent that accrued between March 9, 2020 and July 14, 2023, tenants will have a defense if the rent was unpaid due to financial hardship caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. ADVISORY NOTICE: On April 18, 2023, City Council passed legislation to sunset the COVID-19 Eviction Moratorium, as well as to add new permanent tenant protections. Oakland Evictions Moratorium FAQ - Asian Pacific Environmental Network Heres Whether or not you pay rent right now is a personal matter that depends on what choices and resources The ordinance also seeks to make several changes to strengthen Oakland's existing just cause eviction protections. Magazine Articles. Abrupt closure of S.F. What happens when Im forced to house someone against my will, in my home, for three years?, The property owners had the backing of Councilmember Noel Gallo, who cast the lone dissenting vote on the ordinance, saying we should find a way to work with the small landlord to make sure that theyre able to be compensated, maintain their property, be respected., What were doing today is going to discourage those that may have had an interest, who had an extra room, Gallo said, because they dont want to get into a situation that were (in) here today.. Changing course from a slow phase out over several months to a hard end date stunned and disappointed tenant advocates, who worry that come mid-July, renters unable to pay their bills will be out on the streets in record numbers. Moms 4 Housing plans to do the same. 1) If you are being evicted under the Ellis Act (removing the whole property from the rental market for PDF Alameda County COVID-19 Eviction Moratorium