Mayor Breed urges extension of commercial eviction moratorium as small businesses struggle

Mayor London Breed told the San Francisco Board of Supervisors on Sept. 15 that city small businesses "need us" and urged the board to back statewide action to extend the governor's commercial eviction protections due to expire Sept. 30. The mayor said the city has provided nearly $30 million in direct relief for small businesses'from grants to 0% loans'but warned that those measures will not prevent evictions if the state order ends.

Breed said outdoor reopening steps this month offered some relief but would not be enough as federal support dwindles. "Our small businesses need us. Our city needs this," she said, then noted that Supervisor Aaron Peskin planned to introduce a resolution for the board to back an extension.

Why it matters: The governor's emergency order created a temporary ability for local jurisdictions to halt certain commercial evictions; if it is not extended, the mayor warned, "thousands of small businesses can be put at risk of being evicted." The mayor asked the board to put the city on record urging extension or some state repayment protection for commercial tenants.

What was said and next steps: Breed praised city and nonprofit efforts to support businesses during COVID-19 and thanked supervisors who worked early on small-business responses. Supervisor Peskin confirmed he was bringing a resolution to the board in the same meeting; the mayor's remarks were filed as a special order and no formal city action on the moratorium occurred at this meeting beyond the public call and the planned resolution. Members of the board expressed support for continuing to press the governor and for local action where possible.

Ending: The mayor left the board with a short, direct appeal: extend protections and prevent a wave of commercial evictions that, she said, could otherwise follow the state order's expiration on Sept. 30.