City to consider extending ban on evictions through Aug. 31

Santa Clarita City Council members are expected Tuesday to discuss possibly extending the temporary prohibition on evictions of residential and commercial tenants through the end of August.

The council members will consider introducing and adopting an urgency ordinance reflecting the extension through Aug. 31, which would mark the second time the city extends the moratorium. The ordinance would require a four-fifths vote to pass.

On March 31, the City Council adopted the original ordinance providing eviction protection between March 4 through May 31 for residential and commercial tenants “as a result of financial impacts resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic,” read the city agenda report.

The order was later extended through the end of June, which also included a nine-month rent payback provision for deferred rent.

The initial adoption came after the Los Angeles County “Safer at Home” order led many workplaces to temporarily shut down, ultimately leaving many residents unemployed and unable to cover rent.

“(D)uring this local emergency, and in the interest of protecting the public health and preventing transmission of COVID-19, it is essential to avoid unnecessary housing displacement, and prevent housed individuals from falling into homelessness, as well as facilitate the rapid return to business and generation of tax revenues and provision of retail services to the Santa Clarita community by commercial tenants,” read a portion of the new, proposed ordinance.