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MENDOCINO Co., 3/27/20 — California Governor Gavin Newsom has issued an executive order halting rental evictions throughout the state beginning immediately and lasting until May 31, 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Newsom previously allowed local jurisdictions to take action on halting rental evictions, but it had not been mandated statewide.
In Mendocino County, the board of supervisors took action this week to prevent rental evictions during the pandemic, and a number of municipalities were considering taking actions (see our full article here). State and federal protections have also been extended to assist property owners, including “grace period” extensions on mortgage payments and other benefits (more here).
This order requires tenants to provide written documentation or a statement within seven days after rent is due of COVID-19 related hardship, but prevents law enforcement and courts from enforcement of evictions due to non-payment or other COVID-19 related issues. The details and full text of the order is included below in the press release from the governor’s office:
Governor Newsom Takes Executive Action to Establish a Statewide Moratorium on Evictions
The order is effective immediately and will apply through May 31, 2020
Builds on the Governor’s previous executive action authorizing local governments to halt evictions
SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today issued an executive order banning the enforcement of eviction orders for renters affected by COVID-19 through May 31, 2020. The order prohibits landlords from evicting tenants for nonpayment of rent and prohibits enforcement of evictions by law enforcement or courts. It also requires tenants to declare in writing, no more than seven days after the rent comes due, that the tenant cannot pay all or part of their rent due to COVID-19.
The tenant would be required to retain documentation but not required to submit it to the landlord in advance. And the tenant would remain obligated to repay full rent in “a timely manner” and could still face eviction after the enforcement moratorium is lifted. The order takes effect immediately, and provides immediate relief to tenants for whom rent is due on April 1st.
Today’s action builds on Governor Newsom’s previous executive order authorizing local governments to halt evictions for renters impacted by the pandemic.
A copy of the Governor’s executive order can be found here and the text of the order can also be found here.
This is incorrect. There has been no statewide moratorium on evictions. The governor’s executive order merely authorized local governments to enact eviction bans if they so choose. This article misinterprets the content of the executive order and, even worse, misleads tenants whose local governments have not enacted an eviction ban into believing they are protected when they actually are not. You should correct this immediately!
Hi Lyn, this order follows the order you are referring to, in which local governments were authorized to suspend eviction enforcement — this one is stricter. We discuss that in the article, and it also is included in the press release as follows: “Today’s action builds on Governor Newsom’s previous executive order authorizing local governments to halt evictions for renters impacted by the pandemic.” You can find a link to both orders in this article.