San Leandro extends its eviction moratorium by another year

Sen. Dianne Feinstein retires, Barbara Lee appears poised to enter senate race soon; remembering Supervisor Richard Valle

San Leandro Councilmember Celina Reynes pushed for the council to extend its soon-to-expire eviction moratorium in a referral last month.

CITY NEWS

SAN LEANDRO

—AVERTING AN EVICTION TSUNAMI—With the state’s pandemic-era state of emergency due to end at the end of this month, along with a moratorium on rental evictions, the San Leandro City Council moved on Tuesday night to extends its own moratorium a full year to Feb. 28, 2024.

—The move, coming amid uncertainty about whether the Alameda County Board of Supervisors will act soon on its own countywide eviction moratorium, is the first of several stated goals by the San Leandro City Council’s new progressive, pro-tenant majority.

—“We are up against this cliff where we might see mass evictions and if we don’t make some movement, people might self-evict and an exacerbation of the homelessness,” said Councilmember Celina Reynes on Tuesday night. Reynes crafted the referral for extending the city’s eviction moratorium last month.

—Reynes said the referral’s intent is to allow city staff time to craft a long-term solution for tenants. Tuesday’s approval also includes direction for city staff to provide the council with a progress report every 90 days.

—An additional amendment approved last night requires landlords to report to the city when their tenants seek Covid-19 relief rent exemption.

—Alameda County officials have yet to schedule a vote on whether or not to extend the countywide eviction moratorium that is tied to the end of the state of emergency.

—While the state deadline is Feb. 28, the county’s ordinance allows for another 60 days of protection for tenants. This timeline places the possible end of the countywide moratorium at around May 1.