California new eviction law is designed to stop a wave of evictions, brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a new eviction law last week to protects tenants from being evicted for failing to pay rent between March and August of this year.

Tenants now need to sign paperwork declaring they haven’t been able to pay rent due to COVID-19.  Going forward, tenants will need to pay 25% of their monthly rent.  If tenants pay that 25%, the remaining balance (75%) will convert to civil debt and may not be used as grounds for an eviction

By February 1, 2021, tenants will need to resume paying their full monthly rent to avoid eviction.  The bill, AB 3088, was a compromise measure, scaled down from earlier proposals to keep tenants in their homes while compensating landlords for their losses.  Under the new law, courts won’t process eviction cases based on non-payment of rent until October 5. However, other types of evictions can now move forward, and sheriff’s departments could soon be locking out your tenants. 

The bill was backed by the California Apartment Association, but opposed by tenant groups like the statewide Tenants Together, who say it doesn’t go far enough.