The California Legislature approved on January 28, 2021 a bill that extends the moratorium on evictions and provides financial assistance to qualifying landlords and tenants to pay a portion of the tenant’s unpaid rent.
The California COVID-19 Tenant Relief Act comprises two statewide laws. These laws are the COVID-19 Tenant Relief Act of 2020 (AB 3088), which took effect on August 31, 2020, and the COVID-19 Tenant Relief Act (SB 91), which took effect on February 1, 2021. AB 3088 initially imposed a statewide moratorium on evictions between March 1, 2020 and January 31, 2021 for tenants unable to pay some or all of their rent due to COVID-19-related financial distress provided the tenant timely submitted to his/her landlord a signed Declaration of Financial Distress. SB 91 extends the moratorium on evictions through June 30, 2021. SB 91 has additional protections, including providing financial assistance to qualifying landlords and tenants to pay up to 80% of the tenant’s unpaid rent between March 1, 2020 and March 31, 2021.
[See Code of Civil Procedure Sections 1179.02, 1179.03.]
New Notice Requirement
SB 91 also sets a Feb. 28, 2021 deadline for landlords to provide a specific notice to tenants who are behind on rent as of Feb. 1, 2021.
The California Department of Real Estate (DRE) website contains more details for landlords and tenants:
https://landlordtenant.dre.ca.gov/
https://landlordtenant.dre.ca.gov/faqs.html