
California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill early Tuesday morning that would protect tenants from eviction and property owners from foreclosure due to the economic impacts of Covid-19.
According to a news release from the governor's office, "no tenant can be evicted before February 1, 2021 as a result of rent owed due to a COVID-19 related hardship accrued between March 4 – August 31, 2020, if the tenant provides a declaration of hardship according to the legislation’s timelines. For a COVID-19 related hardship that accrues between September 1, 2020 – January 31, 2021, tenants must also pay at least 25 percent of the rent due to avoid eviction."
Newsom said the pandemic had impacted everyone in California, but tenants struggling to pay monthly rent had been especially affected and deserved protection from eviction.
"This new law protects tenants from eviction for non-payment of rent and helps keep homeowners out of foreclosure as a result of economic hardship caused by this terrible pandemic," he said.
The governor also called for federal funding to help homeowners and tenants hurt by the financial impact of coronavirus.
"California is stepping up to protect those most at-risk because of COVID-related nonpayment, but it’s just a bridge to a more permanent solution once the federal government finally recognizes its role in stabilizing the housing market," he said. "We need a real, federal commitment of significant new funding to assist struggling tenants and homeowners in California and across the nation."