Uploaded: Wed, Jun 23, 2021, 12:40 pm
For more than a year, Santa Clara County residents behind on rent due to COVID-19 have been largely shielded from evictions, thanks to a mix of state and county-level protections that are set to finally expire next week.
And while COVID-19 cases have plummeted and job openings are through the roof, housing advocates say letting the moratorium end now would be a mistake. Too many families are still out of work and overwhelmed by debt from unpaid rent, and California's rent relief program — while well-funded — has been sluggish to get money out to families.
Gov. Gavin Newsom and state lawmakers are again waiting until the last minute to announce whether California's state-level protections will be extended through the summer or expire on June 30. Facing uncertainty, Santa Clara County supervisors on Tuesday approved an eviction moratorium that will expire on Aug. 31, serving as a backup plan in the event the state lets the protections lapse.