FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
March 24, 2020
For More
Information, Contact:
Charlsie Chang
(408) 299-5050 office
(626) 898-2395 cell
charlsie.chang@bos.sccgov.org
SUPERVISORS APPROVE COUNTYWIDE MORATORIUM
ON "COVID-19 EVICTIONS"
SAN JOSE
– Today, during its first-ever virtual teleconference/Board Meeting, the Santa
Clara County Board of Supervisors passed an Urgency Ordinance establishing a
temporary and limited moratorium on evictions that will apply countywide
(including all fifteen incorporated cities and towns).
Supervisor Joe
Simitian, who made the motion to adopt the Ordinance, observed, “Extraordinary
circumstances require extraordinary action, and these are certainly
extraordinary circumstances.”
The Ordinance
prevents evictions for failure to pay rent from occurring in the midst of the
COVID-19 public health crisis. Inclusion of the urgency clause means the Ordinance
is immediately effective, and the countywide application means that it will
apply countywide, except in the event that a city has passed a measure/provision
that is more stringent than the one approved by the Board of Supervisors. Effectively,
this means that the County’s ordinance will take precedence if a local
ordinance is less stringent.
Simitian noted,
“Residents and small business owners need to know they aren’t going to be out
on the street, and this Ordinance does that. We can all take a deep breath and
focus on the immediate problem at hand – taking steps to stop the further
spread of COVID-19.”
Some important
aspects of the ordinance include:
· Prohibits
eviction for failure to pay rent for renters financially affected by the
COVID-19 crisis.
· Applies
to renters who can document “substantial loss” as a result of the COVID-19
crisis.
· Applies
to both residential and small business commercial rentals.
· Lasts
through May 31.
Simitian
further observed, “This is a common-sense, compassionate step that is fair to
both renters and property owners.” He continued, “The Ordinance does not
eliminate the need to pay rent, but it does provide an important grace period
for those in our community who have been directly impacted financially by the
2020 COVID-19 pandemic. And it ensures that we don’t further complicate the
situation by increasing our homeless population unnecessarily.”
The Ordinance
passed by a unanimous vote (5-0).
The full text
of the Ordinance can be found on the Board of Supervisor’s Agenda, Item #16. A link to that agenda
is here: http://sccgov.iqm2.com/Citizens/Detail_Meeting.aspx?ID=12191
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