They seek to extend moratorium on evictions until the end of 2021 | The State
Mrs. Patricia Mendoza lost her job since March and since then she has faced financial difficulties, especially to cover the rent of the apartment where she lives with her children in Imperial Beach, right on the border with Mexico.
“I lost my job that I loved so much, because it allowed me to help people; I worked to transport disabled people to their medical appointments, ”he told La Opinion.
His greatest difficulties were from late March to August. In all that time, “I did not pay the rent,” she said, and was at risk of being evicted, but temporary bans prevented it.
“The rent for April, someone paid for me anonymously,” he said, “and with money I got from unemployment I paid for May. Right now I only owe June, July and August ”.
When Governor Gavin Newsom approved law AB3088, the Tenant Relief Act, which prevents eviction for non-payment in the midst of the pandemic until next January 21, Mrs. Patricia was immediately welcomed. You could stay in your home if you paid 25 percent of the total debt.
Now a new owner of the same apartments tries to kick her out with the excuse that they want to remodel it.
The family is still in the house because an organization that defends it, questions that the owner lacks permission from the local council to make changes.
Mrs. extend the protection of the Tenant Relief Act until the end of 2021.
“We are at the beginning of the most devastating wave of the pandemic and the greatest concern of our communities is insecurity in housing,” explained the legislator in a video conference.
He said that if the tenants now protected by AB 3088 remained unable to pay back rent until the end of January, “tens of thousands would be evicted and left unable to defend themselves, at the mercy of COVID 19” which is now aggressively spreading throughout the country and especially California.
Chiu considered that an extension to the temporary solution reached by AB 3088 is a priority at this time.
“Even if many of the tenants protected by AB 3088 could pay the rent or part of the rent, we know that for now they face mountains of debt, and that they are seen to accumulate,” he said.
The author of tenant protection said that along with the proposed extension to AB 3088, he also submitted an additional proposal that helps homeowners.
“Right now only the state can provide funding to help renters and landlords alike,” he said.
Los Angeles Assemblyman Miguel Santiago agrees to promote the proposal of his colleague from San Francisco.
Because of the pandemic, “people are suffering in a way that we have never seen before,” Santiago said, “we need to work hard to pass legislation that at least guarantees people food and a place to live” as long as the contingency of the greatest threat to public health.
This week, Los Angeles County reached a rate of more than seven COVID 19 infections every minute, as the preventive shutdown of economic activities puts countless businesses and their employees on the brink of bankruptcy.
“The economic system of the United States is not working for everyone, and immigrants and people who do not have resources are the ones who suffer the most,” said legislator Santiago, “we had not seen that people have to decide whether to feed their children or pay the rent ”.
The California Apartment Owners Association (CAA), for its part, expressed flexibility regarding the proposed extension of the Tenant Relief Act.
“A more gradual extension, perhaps quarter to quarter, would be more appropriate, given the fact that a vaccine is on the way,” said Debra Carlton, the CAA’s executive vice president for public affairs.
He commented that “extending the current expiration date (of AB 3088) from 60 to 90 days is a better approach,” commented Carlton, who clarified that from the CAA’s perspective, “any extension (of tenant support), also it must be accompanied by financial support for smallholders ”.
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