ALAMEDA COUNTY EVICTION MORATORIUM PROTECTS Legal Q & A May 2023 By Richard Beckman, Esq. - AOAUSA As Beeler peppered lawyers for both sides with questions, it was not clear whether she was convinced that the substance of the eviction moratoriums violated landlords constitutional rights. Click here to learn. Alameda County landlords have felt stifled by the broad local protections, which have allowed some tenants to live rent-free even when they have not lost income or fallen ill to the virus. Most landlords are willing to help renters with genuine needs, but some tenants have been taking advantage of the ban. This means that starting Sunday, April 30, tens of thousands of Alameda County residents must pay rent for the first time in three years. Tenants with lower income who have not paid their rent and who still have outstanding rent, even if they got some of it paid by rental assistance, need to come up with a payment plan with their landlord and identify some ways to start making payments, she said. After the hearing, Andrew Zacks, a lawyer for the landlords, said he didnt believe policymakers would act to repeal the bans after two and a half years. Click here for resources for tenants and property owners: ac-housingsecure.org. During a public comment period, more than 100 people addressed the council, including tenants, who said the council decision favors landlords. Housing is Key:https://housing.ca.gov/ 1 Comment / Uncategorized / By FreshFir222 LA County Board of Supervisors vote to end Eviction Moratorium Leave a Comment / Uncategorized / By The Oaklandside relies on reader support to remain free for everyone in our community. Even though her boyfriend lost income during the pandemic, Garcias household has been able to make rent payments, she said. Q: When must regular rent payments resume?A: Residential tenants need to resume their regular rent payments on October 1, 2021. If you didnt pay your rent and used that money on other items, you could be faced with a court assigning your wages to the landlord in order for the landlord to get their back rent, warned Starratt. endobj But Nicholas Spear, a lawyer with the tenant advocacy group ACCE, which is also participating in the lawsuit, told the judge that there would be just as many declarations and stories from tenants whove experienced housing and financial hardships during the pandemic, if theyd gotten a chance to share them. Bay Area Legal Aid, Centro Legal de la Raza, East Bay Community Law Center, Eviction Defense Center, Legal Assistance for Seniors, and Housing and Economic Rights Advocates provide free legal services to low-income tenants and homeowners disproportionately impacted by the regions housing affordability crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic. This story contains reporting from KQEDs Rachel Vasquez and Carly Severn.