Supervisors extend eviction moratorium to Sept. 30 as state legislators seek solution ahead of Sept. 1 deadline.

The Monterey County Board of Supervisors voted 5-0 on Tuesday, Aug. 18, to extend the county's eviction moratorium to Sept. 30, ahead of a looming deadline of Sept. 1, when eviction courts could resume proceedings against people behind on their rent.

That deadline gives the California State Legislature less than two weeks to come up with a potential longer term solution to the thorny issue of potentially millions of households impacted by a loss of income due to Covid-19 and unable to pay landlords. 

Mike Herald, director of policy advocacy for the Western Center on Law and Poverty, says it's unknown just how many renters will be impacted statewide. "But certainly in the several million of households who are facing eviction and unlawful detainer," he says.

The WCLP is backing a bill sponsored by Rep. David Chiu, D- San Francisco, Assembly Bill 1436, that would allow renters impacted by Covid-19 to remain in their homes, receiving more time to pay rent they owe. Landlords in turn would be able to get more time to pay on mortgages to lenders.

State Sen. Anna Caballero, D-Salinas, introduced Senate Bill 1410 that would also keep renters in their homes with up to 10 years to pay back owed rent. Landlords would receive a tax credit from the state, which they could in turn sell to a third party for cash. The debt would transfer from the landlord to the state, which would then assess renters through the state's tax collector.

Herald says in theory both bills could be effective. It's possible a compromise could be struck in the coming days, creating some combination of solutions. Once a bill is passed, the assumption is the state courts would delay evictions until a system is put in place to carry out the approved solution, possibly by Jan. 1 or later.

In discussions about extending the county's ban before the unanimous vote, the supervisors said they want to create a tenants' assistance program using $1 million in CARES Act funding out of $45 million the county is receiving in six installments through Dec. 30.