July Rent Nonpayment Due to COVID-19
6/26/20: Mayor’s Order for Nonpayment of Rent and Evictions
On June 26, 2020, the Mayor extended the order prohibiting evictions for nonpayment if the tenant was unable to pay due to financial impacts of COVID-19 between March 13, 2020 and July 31, 2020 until six months after the order expires (the eviction cannot occur until January 31, 2021 since the order currently expires July 31, 2020), regardless of whether the tenant notified the landlord or provided documentation. The tenant is still nominally required to provide notice and documentation (with no requirement as to when), but failure to do so does not affect the tenant’s ability to claim the eviction protection described above. (It would be safer to provide documentation if possible.) Unless there is an extension, the effective date for termination of tenancy, except due to the Ellis Act and for the health of others, cannot be earlier than September 30, 2020. Any payment plan a tenant agrees to cannot waive the tenant’s right to these eviction protections.
Additionally, no late fees allowed for these delayed rent payments.
On April 30, the Mayor issued an order (twelfth supplement (downloads as a pdf)) relating to eviction protections for most residential properties (some subsidized housing exempt). It substantially replaced previous protections.
6/9/20: Passed! No Eviction Due to COVID-19 Related Income Loss
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors passed Supervisor Preston’s Eviction Protection Ordinance. Supervisor Preston’s ordinance stops landlords from evicting tenants who can’t pay because of COVID-19 related income loss. It doesn’t stop landlords from getting what they may be owed, it just takes eviction off the table. Caution, however, that this law is being challenged. Also, the debt could affect one’s credit. It is safest to pay but for tenants who cannot pay, this law may give them additional time to be remain housed.
