Law Foundation Applauds Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors for Enacting Emergency Eviction Freeze

NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 24, 2020

CONTACT: communications@lawfoundation.org

Law Foundation Applauds Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors for Enacting Emergency Eviction Freeze

SAN JOSE, CA — The Law Foundation of Silicon Valley today applauded the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors for unanimously enacting an emergency eviction moratorium to protect tenants impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Law Foundation, along with other community partners, advocated directly with the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors for an ordinance that would cover the entire county.

“This is a lifeboat for tenants, and we applaud the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, especially Supervisors Cindy Chavez and Joe Simitian, who have stepped up for their community members,” said Nadia Aziz, directing attorney for the Law Foundation’s housing program. “During the COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing economic disruption, these critical policies are needed to keep people housed, prevent foreclosures, and keep small businesses’ doors open.”

As this unprecedented public health crisis continues to unfold, health concerns and shelter-in-place orders will leave thousands of people in our region without employment. Without the protection against eviction that this moratorium provides, many of these people would have been forced into homelessness if they could not afford to pay their rent. Likewise, many small businesses are currently shuttered, and without income many would have been evicted from their commercial spaces.

The ordinance approved today, March 24, 2020, takes effect immediately until May 31, 2020 and:

1. Applies to every residential and small business tenant in Santa Clara County (including within city boundaries).

2. Prohibits nonpayment of rent and no-fault evictions for eligible tenants.

3. Requires tenants to provide documentation to their landlords of lost income or out-of-pocket medical expenses related to the COVID-19 emergency.

4. Gives tenants 120 days following the emergency to pay back rent unpaid during the emergency.

5. Prohibits landlords from charging late fees for unpaid rent during the emergency and 120 days after.

This new protection is particularly needed for low-income people and communities of color – who are less likely to be able to work from home and who rely on every paycheck to make it through the month.

“This moratorium protects our neighbors when they are most in need of support and will help ease their burden during these trying times,” said staff attorney Michael Trujillo. “As our community continues to grapple with this global pandemic, the Law Foundation of Silicon Valley will continue to advocate for tenants and other underrepresented communities who are facing the worst of this crisis.”

If a tenant lives in Santa Clara County and receives any kind of eviction notice during the COVID-19 emergency, they can call the Law Foundation’s Housing Program at 408-280-2424 for more information about their rights. 

NEWS: Law Foundation Calls For Santa Clara County to Enact Emergency Anti-Eviction Policy

NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 17, 2020

Contact: Communications@lawfoundation.org

Law Foundation Calls For Santa Clara County to Enact Emergency Anti-Eviction Policy

SAN JOSE, CA — The Law Foundation of Silicon Valley today is calling for Santa Clara County and all cities in the Silicon Valley region to enact an emergency anti-eviction policy.

“Our friends, families, and neighbors cannot focus on maintaining good health if they are worried about losing their home,” said Alison Brunner, CEO of the Law Foundation. “Now is the time for all of us to step up for our community members rather than turn our backs on them. Cities must act now to enact eviction prevention measures.”

The Law Foundation is continuing to offer free legal services for those living in Silicon Valley and is focused on mitigating the negative impacts felt by low-income communities during the coronavirus outbreak. In addition, the Law Foundation:

• Continues to call on Gov. Newsom to enact a statewide ban on evictions. 

• Has advocated for strengthening San Jose’s eviction moratorium.

• Has sample written eviction moratorium ordinances for Gilroy, Morgan Hill, Milpitas, Mountain View, Cupertino, Palo Alto, and Santa Clara and is urging these cities to enact this critical legislation immediately.

• Is calling on cities and the Santa Clara Valley Water District to stop all homeless encampment sweeps. The repeated, traumatic, and unnecessary displacement these sweeps cause will only make this public health emergency more dangerous for everyone in our community.

• Will offer a template letter on our website for San Jose residents to provide to their landlord in the event that their income and ability to pay rent is impacted by the coronavirus outbreak.

Those who are in need of housing legal services can call the Foundation at: (408) 280-2424. While the Law Foundation’s offices are temporarily closed to prevent the spread of coronavirus, its staff and attorneys will continue to offer services remotely and serve clients. The Law Foundation will respond to calls on its intake lines and are eager to continue supporting our clients during this challenging time. For resources, community members can visit www.lawfoundation.org/coronavirus.

“A piecemeal approach, rather than a statewide ban, is putting thousands of Californians at risk of homelessness,” said Nadia Aziz, Directing Attorney for the Housing program. “We know this crisis is disproportionately impacting low-income people and communities of color who won’t be able to work from home and rely on every paycheck to make it through the month. Preventing evictions for those impacted by the coronavirus and protecting our homeless community should be a major part of California’s response.”

To SJ City Council: Protect all mobile home parks.

Dear Mayor and City Councilmembers:

The Law Foundation of Silicon Valley writes in strong support of the memos by Councilmembers Jimenez, Peralez, Esparaza, and Foley to not only protect Westwinds and Mountain Springs mobile home park, but to protect all mobile home parks through changing the mobile home designation for all Parks in San Jose. Additionally, we strongly support the memo’s direction to prioritize mobile homes as part of the City’s anti-displacement plan.

Read our letter to San Jose City Council.