Sponsored message
Audience-funded nonprofit news
radio tower icon laist logo
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
Subscribe
  • Listen Now Playing Listen
News

Newsom Orders Statewide Moratorium On Evictions

File: California Gov. Gavin Newsom. Screenshot of Newsom's March 21 news briefing

With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.

On Friday, Governor Gavin Newsom issued an order halting evictions through May 31 for renters affected by COVID-19. The statewide action is effective immediately.

The governor's order says, "Minimizing evictions during this period is critical to reducing the spread of COVID-19 in vulnerable populations by allowing all residents to stay home."

Renters will be expected to write their landlords within a week of their rent being due, if they can't make a payment. Tenants will also be required to pay their full rent in "a timely manner" and can still face eviction in the future over non-payment of rent, once the moratorium is lifted.

Newsom's order prohibits law enforcement and the court system from moving forward on evictions.

Sponsored message

The move could clear up widespread confusion about eviction moratoriums in California, where a patchwork of measures have been adopted by municipalities. A previous order by Newsom allowed local governments to create eviction moritoriums, but the order did not itself impose them.

MORE ON CORONAVIRUS:

At LAist, we focus on what matters to our community: clear, fair, and transparent reporting that helps you make decisions with confidence and keeps powerful institutions accountable.

Your support for independent local news is critical. With federal funding for public media gone, LAist faces a $1.7 million yearly shortfall. Speaking frankly, how much reader support we receive now will determine the strength of this reliable source of local information now and for years to come.

This work is only possible with community support. Every investigation, service guide, and story is made possible by people like you who believe that local news is a public good and that everyone deserves access to trustworthy local information.

That’s why we’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.

Thank you for understanding how essential it is to have an informed community and standing up for free press.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief

Chip in now to fund your local journalism

A row of graphics payment types: Visa, MasterCard, Apple Pay and PayPal, and  below a lock with Secure Payment text to the right