Evictions in Santa Clara County increased greatly last year following the expiration of previous tenant protections from the pandemic. This has led the San Jose government and local organizations to find different approaches to assisting tenants facing eviction.
Last year, Santa Clara County recorded more than 3,100 evictions – which is the highest it’s been since 2014. In comparison, between 2020 and 2022, there were fewer than 2,000 evictions, likely, in part, due to tenant protections from the beginning of the pandemic. Since the end of these protections, renters have been left with few options for those facing eviction.
Some experts say many renters might not know how to fight an eviction or don't want to. An increase in free and accessible legal services for tenants in Santa Clara County could lead to a drop in the number of evictions.
One of the non-profits working to help provide support to renters is Public Advocates. The group has compiled a fact sheet explaining tenant’s rights, how to identify unlawful evictions, and other organizations with relevant resources.
In an interview with the San José Spotlight, the senior staff attorney for Public Advocates, Suzanne Dershowitz, said: “The situation today looks more like the (pre-pandemic) status quo, where tenants have a very short timeline to respond to an eviction notice and fight for their rights or fight an unlawful eviction.”
She added, “Many tenants don’t know where to begin when they receive a notice, oftentimes tenants will just move out and do what we call ‘self evict.’”
Earlier this year, San Jose city officials also approved a policy stating that any new city-funded affordable housing projects must reserve 15 percent of housing units for low-income residents living in the same district and 20 percent for those coming from high displacement rate districts.
Additionally, for renters with questions about potential evictions, San Jose has a tenant helpline available to help provide answers.