The past few years were tough for most of us in San Francisco. A world-wide public health crisis meant store shelves were often empty, we had to work from home and, worse, many people were furloughed or laid off altogether.
The government acted to protect tenants
The federal government and state governments recognized that many people who were out of work due to the public health crisis were unable to pay their rent, sometimes for months. So, an eviction moratorium was established to prevent tenants from being evicted.
The federal eviction moratorium expired on June 30, 2022, and federal aid for struggling tenants is running out. Now many tenants are facing eviction. San Francisco has since instituted a new eviction moratorium, but is it too little, too late?
San Francisco’s eviction moratorium
The new moratorium prevents landlords from evicting tenants who were unable to meet their rent obligations on or after July 1, 2022, specifically because of the recent public health crisis. However, landlords can evict tenants whose rent arrears were incurred before July 1, 2022.
This leaves many tenants in a tough spot, especially if they have significant arrears in their rent and are still not earning the same income that they did prior to 2020. However, landlords have suffered financially for many months due to unpaid rent. The new moratorium is meant to protect those affected by the recent public health crisis while still recognizing that landlords need to get paid.
If you are a landlord struggling with late rent payments or if you are a tenant facing difficult financial times and cannot pay your rent, you have options. State and local agencies along with real estate attorneys may be able to answer your questions about eviction. This way, you can make informed decisions about your eviction rights as either a landlord or a tenant in San Francisco.