Committee backs 90‑day extension of local COVID eviction protections

Supervisor Dean Preston moved to extend the local COVID‑based limit on residential evictions (no‑fault eviction restrictions) through September 30, 2021. The motion would continue earlier local emergency protections that narrowed permissible eviction reasons to non‑payment, imminent violence or health‑and‑safety causes.

Public comment came from tenant advocates urging continuation because state rental relief programs have not yet reliably reached renters, and from landlord representatives who expressed conditional support for protections tied to rental‑assistance delivery. The committee voted to forward the ordinance to the full Board as a committee report with a positive recommendation.

Why it matters: Many tenants remain economically vulnerable and advocates warned that ending local protections precipitously would produce homelessness and destabilize households while state funds are still being disbursed. The extension provides a measured three‑month bridge as outreach and assistance programs continue to roll out.

Next steps: The item will be considered by the full Board of Supervisors as a committee report.