News Release
Mayor, City Council Take Action to Protect Renters
No Interest, Fees, Penalties Allowed for Documented Inability to Pay Due to Coronavirus Crisis
For immediate release: April 22, 2020
To protect residential and commercial tenants having trouble paying rent on time due to the coronavirus crisis, Mayor Yxstian Gutierrez and the City Council took action at the April 21 regular meeting by approving a resolution (item A.14) adopting the provisions of Governor Newsom's Executive Order N-37-20 regarding evictions and building upon them by forbidding charging of interest, fees or penalties for non-payment or late payment of rent.
The resolution cites acceptable reasons for non-payment or late payment including but not limited to:
- sickness due to a confirmed or suspected case of Covid-19 or service as a caregiver to a household or family member sick with a confirmed or suspected case of Covid-19;
- lay-off, loss of hours or other income reduction resulting from Covid-19, the state of emergency, or related government response; or
- a tenant's need to miss work to care for a child whose school was closed in response to Covid-19.
The resolution is retroactive to March 27, 2020, the date of the Governor's Executive Order, and will remain in effect through May 31, 2020 (the date referenced in the Governor's Executive Order), or until such time as the provisions of the Executive Order are terminated by the Governor.
"We want to make sure no one gets penalized when rent can't be paid specifically because of coronavirus," Mayor Gutierrez explained. "This crisis is beyond anyone's ability to control."
The Mayor made it clear that the City's resolution does not relieve renters from the responsibility of eventually paying any rent that was not paid on time. Under both the Governor's Executive Order and the City's resolution, renters must share with their landlord documentation of their inability to pay on time. Such documentation could include termination notices, payroll checks, pay stubs, bank statements, medical bills, or signed letters or statements from an employer or supervisor explaining the tenant's changed financial circumstances.
Alcalde, El Concejo Municipal Toman
Medidas Para Proteger a Los Inquilinos
No Será Permitido los Cobros de Intereses, Tarifas o Multas
Si Tiene Documentación de No Poder Pagar Debido
a La Crisis del Coronavirus
Para proteger a los inquilinos residenciales y comerciales que tienen problemas para pagar la renta a tiempo debido a la crisis del coronavirus, el Alcalde Yxstian Gutiérrez y el Concejo Municipal tomaron medidas en la reunión ordinaria del 21 de abril al aprobar una resolución que adopta las disposiciones de la Orden Ejecutiva N-37-20 del Gobernador Newsom con respecto a los desalojos al prohibir el cobro de intereses, tarifas o multas por falta de pago o pago atrasado de renta.
La resolución cita razones aceptables por falta de pago o retraso en el pago, que incluyen, entre otras:
• enfermedad debido a un caso confirmado o sospechoso de Covid-19 o servicio como cuidador de un familiar o familiar enfermo con un caso confirmado o sospechoso de Covid-19;
• despido, pérdida de horas, reducción de ingresos como resultado de Covid-19, el estado de emergencia o por la respuesta gubernamental relacionada a Covid-19; o
• la necesidad de un inquilino de faltar al trabajo para cuidar a un niño porque las escuelas cerraron en respuesta a Covid-19.
La resolución A.14 es retroactiva al 27 de marzo de 2020, la fecha de la Orden Ejecutiva del Gobernador, y permanecerá efectiva hasta el 31 de mayo de 2020 (la fecha mencionada en la Orden Ejecutiva del Gobernador), o hasta el momento en que las disposiciones de la Orden Ejecutiva sean canceladas por el Gobernador.
"Queremos asegurarnos de que nadie sea penalizado cuando no se puede pagar la renta específicamente por el coronavirus," explicó el Alcalde Gutiérrez. "Esta crisis está más allá del control de cualquiera."
El Alcalde dejó en claro que la resolución de la Ciudad no perdona a los inquilinos de la responsabilidad de eventualmente pagar la renta que no se pagó a tiempo. Bajo la Orden Ejecutiva del Gobernador y la resolución de la Ciudad, los inquilinos deben compartir con su propietario la documentación de su inhabilidad para pagar a tiempo. Dicha documentación podría incluir avisos de terminación, cheques de nómina, recibos de pago, estados de cuenta bancarios, facturas médicas o cartas o declaraciones firmadas de un empleador o supervisor que expliquen el cambio de las situaciones financieras del inquilino.
# # #
Upon request, this news release will be made available in appropriate alternative formats to persons with disabilities, in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Any person with a disability who requires a modification or accommodation in order to participate in this meeting should direct such requests to Guy Pegan, ADA Coordinator, at 951.413.3120 at least 72 hours before the meeting. The 72-hour notification will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to this meeting.