Coronavirus Update: San Francisco Supervisors Push To Make COVID-19 Eviction Moratorium Permanent
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- A San Francisco supervisor on Tuesday announced he is co-sponsoring new legislation that would permanently make it illegal to evict tenants unable to pay their rent due to the coronavirus crisis, according to posts on social media.
SF District 6 Supervisor Matt Haney tweeted late Tuesday morning that he and SF District 5 Supervisor Dean Preston would be co-sponsoring the new legislation to make San Francisco's eviction moratorium permanent.
According to Haney, landlords would not be use unpaid rent during the coronavirus emergency as a reason for eviction.
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"If it passes, delayed rent during this emergency could not be used as a reason to evict. It also prohibits any late fees, penalties, interest or other charges tenants may face," Haney said on Twitter.
San Francisco Mayor London Breed first announced a moratorium on tenant eviction in the city on March 13th. The moratorium was set to last 30 days, but officials noted that it would be extended as needed.
Under the order, a tenant must notify their landlord that they cannot pay rent due to a coronavirus-related impact. Within one week of the notice, the tenant must provide documentation or other objective information that they cannot pay rent. Tenants will have up to six months after the termination of the emergency declaration to repay any back due rent.
On Tuesday, Haney said that he and Preston, along with SF District 9 Supervisor Hillary Ronan, were "fighting for #RentCancellation at the state level to go even further."
"In order to actually cancel and forgive rent, we need state action," Haney tweeted. "But this legislation would ensure that tenants would not have to EVER fear eviction due to rent that they were unable to pay b/c of losses related to COVID19 during this emergency."
