Pasadena City Council Approves Plan to End Residential Eviction Moratorium on June 30, 2022

At this Monday’s Pasadena City Council meeting, the Council discussed the City’s residential and commercial eviction moratorium which has been in place since March 2020 and whose expiration is currently tied to the expiration of the City’s local emergency, an unknown date. City Staff had advanced a recommendation for the City to end the residential eviction moratorium on June 30, 2022. The City Council voted 6-1 with Councilmember Rivas opposing, to approve City Staff’s recommendations and return to the City Council with an ordinance within 30 days that would end the residential eviction moratorium on June 30, 2022.  Mayor Gordo, indicating that he is a rental housing provider in Pasadena, recused himself from the discussion and related vote.

The City’s residential eviction moratorium prohibits evictions for non-payment of rent due to COVID-19 financial impacts and for no-fault reasons unless necessary for health and safety.  Renters have six (6) months from the end of the local emergency to repay any back rent owed.

During Council deliberations, the City Council discussed the COVID-19 financial impacts to both City renters and rental housing providers and looked to strike a balance in helping renters while recognizing that the City’s small “mom and pop” housing providers cannot continue to shoulder the financial burden, and the negative consequences to the community that would result if those small owners sold their buildings.

City Staff also highlighted the plan to assist City renters after the residential moratorium ends, which will include $300,000 for homelessness prevention, an additional allocation of $150,000 for Housing Rights Center services, and $3 million for rental assistance to low-income residents covering both back rent and up to two years of temporary rental assistance going forward.

Prior to the meeting and during the meeting’s public comment period, the Association expressed strong support for the City’s establishment of a date certain for the immediate end of the over two-year long residential eviction moratorium. The Association will continue to monitor this issue and strongly advocate for the adoption of the ordinance when it is brought to the City Council for a vote.