Marin County extends eviction ban through June to ease tenant hardship during the pandemic economy

Labeling it a “public health emergency,” the Marin County Board of Supervisors unanimously decided Tuesday to shut the door on future evictions caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

The county’s eviction moratorium was headed toward expiring at the end of the month, prompting concern from Community Development Planning Manager Leelee Thomas and the supervisors. The moratorium now extends through June.

Most agreed the risk of homelessness at a time when the coronavirus outbreak is raging presents a devastating scenario in the county’s communities.

Supervisor Damon Connelly referred to the action as “very prudent for us.”

The 5-0 vote was made after 17 supporters of the proposed action came forward to address their grievances that ranged from the high cost of housing in the North Bay to the stress of having to move during a pandemic. The speakers ranged in ages from an eighth grader carefully articulating “the difficulty of paying bills” to an 83-year-old woman facing eviction.

“We urgently need a solution,” said Maria Callahan, a housing development specialist who said that rent for over a quarter of county residents already consumes half their incomes.

Supervisor Dennis Rodoni said he considered the action “a first step” in a collaboration with all parties involved.

The California Apartment Association, which represents 50,000 members responsible for more than 2 million affordable and market-rate rental housing units in the state, wants the county to back away from prohibiting any eviction “for any reason.”

The group’s letter submitted also asked the county to require that tenants cooperate with the landlord “applying for rental assistance.”

The county manages a local relief program offered through Community Development Block Grant and Marin Community Foundation funds passed down through the CARES Act, the first federal relief bill passed in the spring. The program supplies money to landlords to offset their losses. Marin County has doled out about $3 million to 1,470 landlords since it adopted the program last March. As of this week, the local government obtained another $7.7 million.

For that reason, apartment association spokesman Alex Khalfin told the Business Journal he’s grateful the North Bay jurisdiction has done more for property owners than most local governments.

“We’re not surprised by the outcome, but I felt what we asked was so basic,” Khalfin said after the meeting, citing the request the county require tenants to provide more proof of need to delay rent payments. The moratorium requires the tenants pay at least 25% of their rents in order to avoid eviction.

“All this could be for nothing,” he said. “Our biggest ask of the board is to just be consistent.”

Khalfin referred to the law proposed by Assemblyman David Chiu, D-San Francisco, to extend the state’s moratorium expiring Feb. 1 through 2021. In addition to that proposal, Assembly Bill 15, Chiu is backing AB 16, which would establish a statewide financial assistance rental program. Details are being worked out on that proposed legislation.

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