Contra Costa Passes Eviction Moratorium Amid Coronavirus

Following similar actions by several other Bay Area cities and counties, the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors passed an urgency ordinance Tuesday to temporarily prohibit evictions caused by missed rent payments tied to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

The urgency ordinance, approved by a 5-0 vote at a special meeting, also establishes a temporary rent increase moratorium. Both residential tenants and commercial tenants are covered by the eviction and rent increase moratoriums. The ordinance, which expires May 31, is retroactive to March 16, when Contra Costa and six other counties declared a shelter-in-place order in deference to the coronavirus outbreak. The ordinance could be extended if the pandemic persists.

To benefit from these protections, tenants must be able to prove they've lost income because of the coronavirus - a layoff tied directly to a pandemic-related business loss or closure, for instance - or that they've had out-of-pocket medical bills related to the coronavirus.

The ordinance covers all parts of the county, both its 19 cities and the unincorporated areas. In cities that have similar ordinances that are more stringent, those local ordinances will prevail.

More than 40 people commented Tuesday afternoon on the ordinance, most of them saying tenants sorely need the help to stay in their homes because they and/or family members had lost jobs. Some pleaded for more than 120 days' grace period after the shelter order is lifted to pay past-due rent.

A handful of people who commented called for protections for landlords who could potentially face significant cuts in income with some tenants paying late.

"Small landlords depend on rent for our financial survival," said one Walnut Creek condominium owner. "Don't forget about me." Supervisor Federal Glover had earlier made that same point, saying some landlords he knows depend on that income to support them in their retirements. In the end, the supervisors opted to go with the 120-day grace period suggested by the county counsel, and not a 180-day grace period to pay landlords back the missed rent payments. Supervisor Diane Burgis also called for the county to lobby state and federal officials for short-term help for landlords who temporarily lose out on tenants' rent payments.

Report by Sam Richards

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