Since September 2020, the Legislature has passed and Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed four laws shielding tenants who were unable to pay rent due to COVID-19 from eviction.
The most recent extension shielded tenants through June 30th who had applied for rent relief from the state's five billion dollar program by the March 31st deadline, but had yet to hear back or receive payments. Those tenants can now be brought to court by their landlords.
Debra Carlton, chief lobbyist for the California Apartment Association, said they have asked their members not to take their tenants with pending applications to court.
The state Department of Housing and Community Development, which administers the program through a contractor, said on July 1 they had approved all complete applications for eligible tenants. Geoffrey Ross, a deputy director handling the program, said they are still processing 13-thousand applications that are either missing documentation, or represent an appeal following a denial. They expect to clear all pending applications by early next month.