The blanket moratorium applies if you are being evicted for any of these reasons: The only two exceptions to the blanket moratorium are. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! 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. View more videos and watch CBS News, a live news stream featuring original CBS News reporting. If you value what you get from The Oaklandside, please join us with a tax-deductible donation today so we can continue doing the local reporting that matters to you. Which City Officials Supported the Oakland Evictions Moratorium? 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. 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 . Hailey, Williams and other landlords are joining together with a group called In It Together Oakland to oppose the proposed ordinance. There are also extra protections for nonpayment evictions in the future. Reach out East Bay COVID eviction bans will stay for now, judge rules Legal Assistance for Seniors - (510) 832-3040. The only exception is if your landlord petitions the Oakland Rent Board for a fair return.. It includes the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE), Oakland and Alameda County had the authority under state law to pass local eviction moratorium ordinances that went further than California's statewide tenant protections, she said. If I Live in a Single Family Home, Does the Moratorium Apply to Me? The City of Oakland Police Station at 455 7th Street in Oakland, Calif. on Wednesday, March 3, 2021. That proposal would have ended the moratorium in phases but did not have majority support from council members. cannot lose your housing. I dont know if any of you have ever received an eviction notice, but until you do it is really hard to appreciate the sheer terror youll feel, a member of the Oakland Tenants Union said. Just before . How Long Does the Eviction Moratorium Last? 4) It also protects small businesses and nonprofits who were financially impacted by the COVID-19 crisis proof that you were financially impacted by the COVID-19 crisis so that if your landlord ever tries to evict | Eastmont Mall's history | OUSD union negotiations | We're now publishing free obituaries. If none of On March 27, he issued an order on evictions that we think is deeply unhelpful to tenants. eviction cases if tenants take affirmative steps now and provide information to their landlords. It has to be renewed by City Council every 30 days. Gov. if you can show that you couldnt pay because of the COVID-19 crisis, you can win that lawsuit. The proposal that passed also ends the citys rent-increase moratorium in July 2024 and protects tenants from having to repay back rent if they can prove financial losses due to COVID. Scott Budman reports. "We hope that the CED committee will do the right thing Tuesday when it comes to Oakland tenants, but we have reason to believe that it may not happen.". Which City Officials Supported the Oakland Evictions Moratorium? When City Council ends the Oakland COVID-19 State of Emergency. Ordinarily, a landlord might be able to increase your rent for more than the CPI by banking prior increases or capital improvements. 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. If youre thinking of altering your workout routine, youre probably looking for new exercises and equipment to help you reach your fitness goals. you are impacted by COVID-19 or provide them with proof right now. This proposed ordinance would establish a timeline to end the moratorium, rather than leaving the expiration date tied to the end of the Local COVID-19 Emergency. The blanket moratorium applies if you are being evicted for any of these reasons: Oakland and Alameda County's eviction moratoriums are still in effect Chief of Staff Council President + District 2 Councilmember cmunozramos@oaklandca.gov 510-238-7246, Amended Legislation To Phase Out Oakland COVID-19 Eviction Moratorium And Add New Permanent Tenant Protections Moves Forward to Full City Council, Council President + District 2 Councilmember, amended legislation to phase out the COVID-19 eviction moratorium, Now through July 14, 2023 current eviction moratorium continues, July 15, 2023 - eviction moratorium and late fee moratorium end, July 1, 2024 - rent increase moratorium ends, Applies to all properties covered by the Oakland Just Cause for Eviction Ordinance, Measure EE, The landlord lives in the unit with the tenant and shares a bathroom or kitchen; or, The tenant created an imminent health/safety threat at the property; or, The landlord is removing the unit(s) from the rental market for at least 10 years (Ellis Act), Unless there is a lease provision to the contrary, no late fees for unpaid rent, For rent-controlled properties, the landlord can raise the rent, but not above the cap of 3%, No pass-through increases or banking are allowed. The eviction moratorium will also apply to units previously exempt from the Just Cause for Eviction . If you are unable to pay rent during the State of Emergency because of COVID-19, you cannot be evicted in the future for failure to pay that rent. This moratorium disallows those types of increases. The Oakland Moratorium is currently the only real moratorium on evictions in the state of California. The current eviction moratorium will continue until July 14, 2023 and end on July 15, 2023. Legal Assistance for Seniors - (510) 832-3040. As in past meetings, landlords showed up in large numbers to detail financial hardships caused by the three-year moratorium. Leah Simon-Weisberg, legal director for advocacy organization ACCE, which participated in the lawsuit, said the tenant group is relieved but not surprised by the order. Tenants living in a building constructed in or after 1996. How dare you? The council adopted its restrictions on eviction in March 2020 in an effort to prevent homelessness, ensure residents could comply with the shelter-in-place orders in effect at that time and avoid punishing residents who lost income due to the pandemic. An earlier proposal by Bas and Councilmember Dan Kalb had sought to phase out the moratorium gradually beginning in September, and it would have forced landlords to prove that their lease-violating tenants caused substantial actual damage.. Proposed Phase Out of Moratorium. Oakland Tenants Union (510) 704-5276 (tenant counseling), Mailing: P.O. Oakland to Phase Out COVID-19 Related Eviction Moratoriums. You could use pay stubs, a What Does the Law Do About Rent Increases? "For so many, the pandemic has left an indelible financial and emotional impact. During the September hearing, Beeler said the ongoing moratoriums gave her pause. issue an eviction moratorium. While Hailey doesn't currently have tenants who are not paying rent, she said she is opposing the proposed ordinance to support other landlords she knows. Those who still need help with rent will be directed to the citys rental assistance program, which council members on Tuesday said has not been fully utilized. Question 1: I am still confused about the eviction moratoriums in Oakland and Alameda County. Bay Area Legal Aid - (510) 250-5257. Heres 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 legislation states that a landlord can evict a tenant for breach of their lease. Berkeley to spend quarter-million for first 24-hour public bathroom. For example, if you live in a single family home. Am I a small landlord? She was previously on staff at Berkeleyside, where her extensive reporting on the legacy of school desegregation received recognition from the Society of Professional Journalists NorCal and the Education Writers Association. How can We Limit Rent Increases For Everyone? Another resident said, Our lives should be worth more than somebody elses profit., Bas said in a statement that Tuesdays legislation allows for outreach, education, and support to tenants and property owners; provides a clear end to the moratorium on July 15; and adds new permanent tenant protections to help avoid a surge in evictions.. The vote came after landlords stormed a recent council meeting demanding an end to the moratorium. OAKLAND, CA - Late last night, Oakland City Council passed legislation to sunset the COVID-19 eviction moratorium in a responsible manner, as well as add new permanent tenant protections. The protections were established by Alameda County in 2020 as a way to protect renters from the financial fallout of the . Los Angeles County's Why Doesn't the Ordinance Stop a Landlord from Filing an Eviction Lawsuit? I Cant Pay Rent Right Now How Does the Moratorium Work for Me? The moratorium protects you in two ways. Future protection never expires for tenants who cannot pay rent during the State of Emergency due to COVID-19. 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. You are not legally required to notify your landlord that COVID-19 impacts your ability to pay. 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. This legislation will keep Oakland families housed as we move up and out of the pandemic, said Leah Simon-Weisberg, Legal Director for ACCE Institute. Currently, that amount is 3.5%. Weve sacrificed majorly, one property owner said. You are also not required to sign any papers to access the eviction protections described above. Just to stop it abruptly like that would be like a death sentence for a lot of renters, said Sameerah Karim, co-founder of Moms 4 Housing. How long has it been since May started off this cold in Bay Area? Sarah Ravani covers Oakland and the East Bay at The San Francisco Chronicle. 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? prior increases or capital improvements. the Oakland Moratorium. Ordinarily there are ways a landlord might be able to increase your rent above that amount - like banking prior increases or capital improvements. For more information on our housing legal services please click here or call us at 510-548-4040. Legal Help: I dont want to hear another white, yellow, whatever person talk about what my ancestors experienced about being enslaved and making that akin to being a landlord.. New permanent tenant protections will codify the COVID eviction protection and create a threshold of one month of HUD fair market rent for non-payment of rent evictions, among other things. Here are five key structures that need to bounce back to help the city recover. Sign up for The Oaklandsides free daily newsletter. then the moratorium does not apply to your tenancy. Shomik Mukherjee covers Oakland, with a focus on local politics, developments and activism. If you are unable to pay rent The ordinance will have its second reading for final passage on May 2, 2023. This spring, Le Creuset has introduced an exciting new shade thats already selling fast: shallot, a soft lavender with pink and slight gray undertones. The moratorium protects you in two ways. At Tuesdays meeting, Fife walked back her phrasing but continued to criticize property owners for conflating lost rental revenue with over 400 years of state-sanctioned violence. She received broad support from tenants and some landlords alike who joined in condemning the rhetoric. 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.. Like many cities, Oakland has had an eviction moratorium in place since . There is no special exception for single family homes. 629. Following a discussion lasting over four hours during its Tuesday night meeting, the council decided to gradually . Causa Justa Just Cause Tenant Hotline: (510) TENANTS (836-2687) (general advice for tenants in Sign up for NBC Bay Areas Housing Deconstructed newsletter. Ordinarily there are ways a landlord might be able to increase your rent above that amount like banking Thank you. ends, your landlord could try to evict you for not paying the rent accrued during the emergency period, but an overview of what it does: 1) It protects Oakland tenants from being evicted during the Oakland State of Emergency for nearly every A California man is forced to live in a country hes never known, Warriors lean into championship DNA, beat Kings behind sublime Curry, Your Privacy Choices (Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads). It also helps your family, friends and Oakland neighbors have access to reliable, independent reporting. As long as you do not fall into one of the exceptions above, the moratorium covers you. OAKLAND, Calif. - The expiration of California's eviction moratorium, which protected renters who couldn't pay rent during the pandemic, is a concern for many renters who say they are still . Opinion: How could the As ungrateful owner do this to us? Breach of lease (noncompliance with the terms of the lease) Bans evictions for nearly any reason during Oaklands State of Emergency. Big shift in weather is headed to California. A landlord cannot evict you if the landlord: If your landlord does file an eviction lawsuit against you, you still need to take steps to respond to the lawsuit in time. How renters will be protected when Oaklands, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), How renters will be protected when Oaklands eviction ban ends in July. It OAKLAND Property owners can once again kick out tenants for failure to pay rent starting July 15, a hard-fought compromise end date to the citys COVID-era ban on evictions. You will still owe that money, but you cant be displaced from your home because of it. With this phase out, the Oakland Council and our Rent Adjustment Program staff stand prepared to assist both property owners and tenants navigate this next step.". Unfortunately, no individual city can pass a law that says otherwise. We amplify community voices, share information resources, and investigate systems, not just symptoms. 2) The eviction is because the tenant is an imminent health or safety risk to other occupants.