BOARD AUTHORIZES RENT, FEE FORGIVENESS FOR TENANTS AT COUNTY-OWNED AIRPORTS

Riverside County supervisors have approved a fee forgiveness and rent repayment plan for tenants at each of the county's five owned-andoperated airports to provide relief for businesses and other lessees impacted by the public health restrictions resulting from the coronavirus pandemic.

The Transportation & Land Management Agency requested the relief plan based on problems collecting lease payments at the Blythe, Chiriaco-summit, French Valley, Hemet-ryan and Jacqueline Cochran airports.

The number of entities and individuals in arrears was not specified by the agency.

“Several tenants at the county airports have become delinquent with rent due to the significant reductions in aviation operations,” according to a TLMA statement posted to the Board of Supervisors' Sept. 22 agenda. “This (plan) allows for economic relief. No rent will be abated during this effort.”

With the board's vote, TLMA now has the clearance to establish individual repayment plans to amortize overdue rent over a 12-month span, as well as waive all late fees for 90 days.

Lessees include fuel providers and aircraft servicing operations, restaurants, aircraft owners with tiedown and hangar spaces, along with other aeronautical and non-aeronautical entities.

Officials said tenants who are behind on rent are subject to penalties that accrue monthly. The fees range from 10 to 15 percent of the composite rent owed.

TLMA noted that county airports received $188,000 of the county's Coronavirus Aid, Relief & Economic Security Act allotment as an offset to impacts from the public health orders first implemented in March.