Governor Newsom Signs Nation-Leading Rent Relief Program for Low-Income Tenants, Eviction Moratorium Extension & Additional Legislation

SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today signed legislation to extend the state’s eviction moratorium through September 30, 2021 and clear rent debt for low-income Californians that have suffered economic hardship due to the pandemic. Under AB 832, California will significantly increase cash assistance to low-income tenants and small landlords under the state’s $5.2 billion rent relief program, making it the largest and most comprehensive COVID rental protection and rent relief program of any state in the nation.

In an agreement forged between the Governor, the Senate and the Assembly, AB 832 increases the value of the reimbursement the state’s emergency rental assistance program provides to now cover 100 percent of past-due and prospective rent payments, as well as utility bills for income-qualified tenants. AB 832 also allows tenants to access rental funds directly if their landlord chooses not to participate and ensures landlords can receive compensation even if their otherwise income-qualified tenants have already vacated a unit.

On Friday, Governor Newsom, Senate President pro Tempore Toni Atkins and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon announced an agreement on the legislation, which also ensures rental assistance dollars stay in California by prioritizing cities and counties with unmet needs and makes temporary reforms to the judicial process to ensure tenants and landlords have attempted to obtain rental assistance.

The Governor also signed the following bills today:

AB 127 by Senator Sydney Kamlager (D-Los Angeles) – Arrest warrants: declaration of probable cause.
AB 128 by Assemblymember Philip Ting (D-San Francisco) – Budget Act of 2021.
AB 336 by Assemblymember Carlos Villapudua (D-Stockton) – Enhanced infrastructure financing districts: public financing authority: members: joint powers authorities.
AB 337 by Assemblymember Jose Medina (D-Riverside) – Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges.
AB 341 by Assemblymember Tasha Boerner Horvath (D-Encinitas) – Credibility of witnesses: sexual conduct: social media content.
AB 464 by Assemblymember Kevin Mullin (D-South San Francisco) – Enhanced Infrastructure Financing Districts: allowable facilities and projects.
AB 761 by Assemblymember Phillip Chen (R-Yorba Linda) – County employees’ retirement: personnel: Orange County.
AB 891 by Assemblymember Jordan Cunningham (R-San Luis Obispo) – Contracts: parental consent.
AB 1383 by Assemblymember Wendy Carrillo (D-Los Angeles) – Community colleges: academic employees: involuntary administrative leave.
AB 1580 by the Committee on Judiciary – Enforcement of money judgments: examination.
AB 1581 by the Committee on Local Government – Local government: omnibus.
AB 1592 by the Committee on Local Government – Fresno Metropolitan Flood Control District: contracts.
SB 79 by Senator Jim Nielsen (R-Red Bluff) – County road commissioner: Counties of Colusa and Glenn.

SB 152 by the Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review – Elections.

SB 431 by Senator Susan Rubio (D-Baldwin Park) – Street lighting systems: City of West Covina.
SB 810 by the Committee on Governance and Finance – Validations.
SB 811 by the Committee on Governance and Finance – Validations.
SB 812 by the Committee on Governance and Finance – Validations.

For full text of the bills, visit: http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov.