COVID-19 is creating a lot of questions, and for homeowners, landlords, and renters, the details matter. Most recently, Governor Gavin Newsom announced an Executive Order banning the enforcement of eviction orders for renters affected by COVID-19 through May 31, 2020. This action builds on a previous order that authorizes local governments to halt evictions, slow foreclosures, and protect Californians against utility shut-offs.
The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) announced that it is suspending foreclosures for homeowners and prohibiting evictions of renters living in homes with mortgages backed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac for at least 60 days. For more information, see the FHFA website.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is also halting foreclosures for homeowners with mortgages under the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) for 60 days. In addition, evictions are suspended for renters living in single-family properties with FHA-insured mortgages. For more information, refer to the HUD letter found here.
Governor Newsom has also authorized $150 million in funding to protect homeless Californians from COVID-19.
Additional Resources:
Property Taxes:
Governor Newsom recently issued an executive order that provides relief for late property tax payments. Normally, property taxes are paid in two installments, the first in December and the second the following April. Payments made later than Dec. 10 and April 10 incur a 10% penalty.
The executive order waives penalties for property taxes paid after April 10 for taxpayers who demonstrate they have experienced financial hardship, or otherwise were unable to make payment of taxes in a timely fashion due to the COVID-19 pandemic through May 6, 2021. This will apply to residential properties and businesses that qualify as a small business under the Small Business Administration’s Regulations Code.
The county tax collector’s authority to provide relief under the executive order does not include properties for which taxes are paid through an impound account, for example by a mortgage lender.
Additional information, including the required forms to request a waiver of penalties, are available on these websites:
Los Angeles County Tax Collector
County of San Bernardino Tax Collector
Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Extends Protections for Renters (Updated 6/25/20)
Moratorium on Evictions
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, June 23, extended a temporary moratorium on evictions through July 31. The moratorium was set to expire on June 30. The temporary moratorium imposes a ban on evictions for all residential and commercial tenants in unincorporated Los Angeles County impacted by the COVID-19 crisis beginning March 4, 2020 through July 31, 2020. The Board will re-evaluate the moratorium every 30 days after that.
In addition to unincorporated areas of the county, it will apply to cities without moratoriums of their own. Tenants will have twelve (12) months following the end of the moratorium period to pay back any amount owed.
Cities within the 41st Assembly District, which have a temporary moratorium on residential and commercial evictions, include Monrovia, Pasadena and South Pasadena.
Rent Stabilization
On April 1, 2020, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a permanent rent stabilization ordinance for eligible rental units in the unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County. Rent stabilization is a local law that standardizes the amount of allowable rent increases. The ordinance established a maximum cap for rent increases as determined by the County, which is based on the Consumer Price Index and shall not exceed 8%. The maximum allowable rent increase is 3% through June 30, 2021.
If you have questions or need assistance, please contact the Los Angeles County Department of Consumer & Business Affairs by phone at (833) 223-7368 or online at rent.lacounty.gov.