What Has Changed in the Most Recent Version of the Santa Monica Eviction Moratorium?
Date postedMay 1, 2020
- The eviction moratorium is now in effect through June 30, 2020.
- Residential tenants now have until twelve (12) months following the end of the eviction moratorium to pay back rent that was unpaid due to financial impacts of COVID-19 while the emergency order was in effect. This has been extended from six (6) months.
- For commercial tenants:
- Large corporations are no longer protected by the eviction moratorium. The eviction moratorium no longer protects multi-national companies, publicly traded companies, and companies that employ more than 500 employees.
- Qualifying small businesses may not be evicted for nonpayment of rent due to financial of impacts of COVID-19 until twelve (12) months after the end of the moratorium.
- It clarifies that a statement written by the tenant in a single communication may constitute both notice and documentation of inability to pay rent due to impacts of COVID-19.
- It clarifies that a landlord and tenant may enter into a payment plan for payment of the delayed rent, but the landlord may not require a tenant to enter into a payment plan. With or without a payment plan, residential tenants have up to twelve (12) months after the moratorium ends to pay rent that was unpaid during the eviction moratorium.
- Landlords are prohibited from lying to or misleading a tenant about protections under the Emergency Order.
- Any provision in a rental agreement, payment plan, or any other agreement between a landlord and tenant that conflicts with or claims to change or undo any rights under the Emergency Order, is automatically voided and cannot be enforced.
- The mandatory notice that landlords must provide to tenants has been updated. Landlords who already provided the previous version to all tenants do not need to provide the new version to all tenants but should use the new version of the notice when they are required to provide the notice to particular tenants.