Working closely with City Council President Georgette Gómez, the San Diego Housing Commission has created a page on its website that provides information to residents and small businesses on how to avoid eviction through the City’s temporary eviction moratorium.
The website can be found at sdhc.org/evictionban.
The City Council enacted the moratorium during a special meeting on March 25, providing relief to residential renters and commercial lease holders who are unable to make rent or lease payments due to financial hardship caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The moratorium will be in place until May 31. Tenants have six months from March 25 to make any unpaid payments. Landlords may seek payment of rent but may not evict tenants who qualify for relief.
“Step one was putting the moratorium in place,” Gómez said. “Step two is making sure residents and small businesses know what they need to do to be protected by it. I’m grateful to the Housing Commission for working with me to launch a webpage that provides answers to all of the questions. I also want to recognize 2-1-1 San Diego’s efforts to support our community with critical information and resources (211sandiego.org).”
The moratorium passed the City Council with the support of Mayor Kevin Faulconer.
“San Diegans shouldn’t have to worry about losing their home of storefront during this public health emergency, and now relief is here,” Faulconer said. “The City has put this temporary eviction moratorium in place and directed millions of dollars to help small businesses stay afloat and keep San Diegans employed. These are two ways San Diego is stepping up to help those most affected. I applaud the City Council, City Attorney and City staff for taking quick action to help our community.”
The webpage details tenants’ responsibilities, such as the burden to notify landlords, in writing, by the day the rent is due, that they are unable to make the payment, as well as the burden to provide documentation of income loss due to the COVID-19 outbreak. It also provides links to a FAQ sheet, which includes information for landlords, and sample tenant letters to landlords in English and Spanish, with Vietnamese, and Somali translations coming soon.
“Communication of accurate information is essential as San Diegans cope with the challenges COVID-19 has created,” San Diego Housing Commission president and CEO Richard C. Gentry said. “The Housing Commission is pleased to partner with the City of San Diego to raise awareness of the temporary ban on evictions by making this page available on our website, along with additional information about COVID-19. I thank Council President Georgette Gómez for her leadership on this issue, as well as Mayor Kevin Faulconer and the entire City Council for their support of initiatives like this to help San Diego families in this difficult time.”
