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San Francisco supervisors keep local eviction ordinance ready, urge state to extend protections
Summary
The Board of Supervisors voted to continue local legislation to bar certain COVID-era evictions so it can be enacted quickly if state law changes, and unanimously backed a resolution urging Governor Newsom to extend statewide eviction protections through the end of the year.
San Francisco'021'021'021'021'021 The San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted Sept. 7 to hold legislation that would bar landlords from evicting residential tenants for certain pandemic-related unpaid rent and unanimously adopted a resolution urging Gov. Gavin Newsom to extend statewide eviction protections.
Supervisor Preston moved to continue the local ordinance so the board could keep it "ready for immediate enactment" if the state removes preemption language in AB 832, and Supervisor Peskin seconded the motion. The board voted 11-0 to continue the item to the Sept. 21 meeting.
The local ordinance under consideration would prohibit landlords from evicting tenants for nonpayment of rent that came due between July 1 and late December 2021, according to the clerk's item description. Preston said the measure was drafted in response to AB 832, which he said included provisions that could preempt local efforts to provide eviction protections beyond the state's deadlines. "If we as San Franciscans want to choose to extend eviction protections to vulnerable tenants, there's no compelling reason that the state should be standing in the way," Preston said during the meeting.
Separately, the board unanimously adopted a resolution urging the governor to extend COVID-related eviction protections through Dec. 31, 2021, or later. Preston introduced the resolution and said the Delta surge and the appearance of additional variants had underlined the continuing public-health rationale for protections. "There is absolutely no reason why California should not also take this sensible step," he said. The resolution passed 11-0.
Why it matters: Local and state eviction rules determine whether tenants facing pandemic-related arrears can remain housed while federal and state rental-relief funds are distributed. The board's motion to keep a local ordinance on standby preserves a rapid local option if the state changes its law; the resolution to the governor is an attempt to secure the statewide extension that supervisors and tenant advocates say is necessary to prevent displacement.
Context and next steps: The local ordinance was continued to the Sept. 21 meeting; the resolution urging the governor was adopted the same day. Supervisors said they would continue outreach to state leaders about AB 832's preemption provisions and monitor the availability and distribution of rent-relief funds.
Votes and formal actions mentioned in this article are recorded in the board minutes.
