Santa Clara County Extends COVID-19 Eviction Moratorium

The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved an extension to an eviction moratorium for both private and commercial tenants.

The moratorium extends protections toward tenants who cannot pay their rent or mortgage because of job or wage loss related to COVID-19, and was originally set to expire on Aug. 31.

A new expiration date for the eviction ban will be decided at the next supervisors meeting on Aug. 25, and could include additional protections for tenants and fines for landlords who violate the moratorium.

A report by Working Partnerships USA found that more than 43,000 rental units in the county were at risk of being evicted once the previous moratorium was set to expire.

“I used the phrase earlier, 'buying some time.' We have done that, we are continuing to do that,” Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian said. “We need the state and federal government ... to use that time to get to meaningful, long-term solutions to some of those very difficult challenges."

A board referral brought by Supervisor Cindy Chavez also asks board members to work with county counsel and local organizations to ensure that the moratorium laws are effective for small business tenants.

"Despite the moratorium, some landlords have ignored the law and are trying to force their tenants to defend costly lawsuits," Chavez said.

Santa Clara County's unlawful detainer courtroom, which reviews eviction cases, reopened on Aug. 5, but state laws bar the court from hearing any new cases. However, landlords can still file new cases, and when the statewide eviction moratorium is eventually lifted, the court can resume operations.

"The only cure that is going to happen is people going back to work and there has to be tolerance and understanding from landlords and tenants working together," Supervisor Mike Wasserman said.

— Bay City News