LOS ANGELES, Calif. (KRON) — Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order Friday banning evictions in California for those affected by COVID-19.
The order prohibits landlords, law enforcement and the courts from enforcing eviction notices on those who have not paid rent due to the coronavirus outbreak.
The ban is effective immediately and will last until May 31, 2020.
It only applies to tenants who are not already behind on their payments.
Tenants must notify landlords in writing, no more than seven days after the rent is due, that they cannot pay because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Valid reasons include the tenant’s inability to work because they were sick with COVID-19 or they were taking care of a family member who was infected with the virus.
If a tenant was laid off, lost hours, or lost income due to the outbreak, they are protected under this order.
The order also protects tenants from eviction if they needed to miss work to care for a child whose school was closed in response to COVID-19.
Tenants are still obligated to repay rent in full in a timely manner and could still face eviction after the enforcement moratorium is lifted.
The order comes two days after five of the nation’s largest banks plus hundreds of credit unions and state-chartered banks agreed to defer mortgage payments for people affected by the virus.
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