City of San José

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 December 9, 2020

Media Contact: 

 Rachel Davis, Press Secretary, Office of Mayor Sam Liccardo, 408.712.9149, rachel.davis@sanjoseca.gov

 San José, CA - Mayor Sam Liccardo, Chair of the Big City Mayors Coalition, along with the Mayors from some of California’s largest cities including Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Sacramento, Long Beach, Oakland, Santa Ana, and Riverside issued support for AB15, a bill proposed by Assemblymember Chiu to extend eviction protections from AB 3088. In August, Governor Newsom signed AB 3088 into law to protect tenants who have been negatively impacted by the pandemic’s economic fallout. Under this bill, the COVID-19 eviction protections are set to expire February 1, 2021. Without an extension, tenants who are unable to immediately resume regular rent payments could face eviction within days.

“We cannot force thousands of already financially burdened families, who have lost their jobs and businesses out the door where we've made it impossible for them to earn a living,” said San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo. “As the first mayor in the United States to announce an eviction moratorium in March, I emphatically support Assemblymember Chiu’s bill to extend the eviction moratorium, providing the time that Californians desperately need to get back on their feet.”

According to US Census Bureau data, roughly 2 million Californians renter households report “little to no confidence” in their ability to pay next month’s rent. Without further legislative action, the housing affordability crisis will lead to mass evictions and an increase in homelessness. To prevent the expiration of eviction protections, Assemblymember Chiu proposed AB 15 to ensure that COVID-impacted renters are able to remain in their homes during the pandemic. Additionally, it prevents landlords from bringing lawsuits to collect missed rent against tenants while AB 3088’s eviction protections are in place.

“We are again staring down an eviction cliff that could leave millions homeless in the middle of a deadly pandemic,” said Assemblymember David Chiu (D-17). “California's mayors understand what it takes to keep our communities safe and healthy. I am grateful to have their support to keep California renters housed and slow the spread of COVID."

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Quotes from California Mayors

 Mayor Eric Garcetti, Los Angeles

"The COVID-19 pandemic has forced hundreds of thousands of Californians to the brink of homelessness, hopelessness, and despair -- and our city and state have responded with swift, clear action to keep as many people as possible in their homes. The end of January will not mean the end of this massive crisis for countless working families, and California must immediately extend its eviction moratorium and collaborate with local governments and federal partners to deliver lasting relief to renters, landlords, and homeowners."

Mayor-Elect Todd Gloria, San Diego
"As an Assemblymember, I voted to ensure that we didn’t create a new housing crisis and were protecting renters and families facing economic hardship. I will continue to support efforts from the state that safeguard Californians from eviction and provide them with some relief as we work to find sustainable solutions in these trying times."

Mayor London N. Breed, San Francisco 
"I am thankful to Assemblymember David Chiu for his leadership on this critical issue. We can't afford to let this pandemic lead to a wave of evictions and we need support for tenants who have fallen behind on their rent due to circumstances outside of their control."

Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg

 “The pandemic has pushed too many California families to the edge of calamity. The state must extend eviction moratoriums to ensure thousands of people do not wind up homeless. Thank you to Assemblymember David Chiu for introducing this critically important bill to protect Californians.” 

Mayor Robert Garcia, Long Beach
“This pandemic has shed light on the vast divide between those who have means, and those who do not – especially when it comes to housing. We must extend the statewide moratorium on evictions to ensure our most vulnerable California families have a place to live. As we look towards recovering from COVID-19, economically and from a public health perspective, our state is stronger when our community is housed.”

Mayor Libby Schaaf, Oakland
“Oakland enacted an eviction moratorium to protect our residents indefinitely, and now it is time for all Californians to experience the same housing security. I support Assemblymember Chiu’s bill and will continue to work with our local, state and federal partners to create the long-term structural solutions to end our housing crisis.”

Mayor Vicente Sarmiento, Santa Ana 

“It is essential that we as elected officials provide all of the protections possible for our communities who have been financially impacted by the pandemic through no fault of their own,” Santa Ana Mayor Vicente Sarmiento said. “Without an extension of the moratorium, we could see a wave of evictions statewide hitting our most vulnerable residents and further exacerbating our homelessness problem.”

Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson, Riverside
“Stable housing is a pillar of health.  The state’s efforts to keep California residents healthy during COVID will be pointless if we evict hundreds of thousands of residents. Extending eviction moratoriums is the humanitarian thing to do, but it must be joined with support for struggling landlords. We urge our state lawmakers to find an innovative solution that doesn’t pit displaced workers against landlords.”