"Oakland's Eviction Moratorium to End on July 15 - New Tenant Protections Adopted Amidst Protests"

The City Council of Oakland, California, recently voted to end the city's eviction moratorium on July 15, 2023, after adopting new tenant protections. The moratorium was first enacted in March 2020 at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The decision to end the moratorium came after weeks of protests by landlords and tenants.

The new policy prohibits landlords from evicting tenants who owe less than one month of what the federal government considers fair rent and provides permanent tenant protections. Tenants who can prove they experienced a COVID-related hardship can never be evicted for unpaid rent that became due while the moratorium was in place. The legislation was proposed by Council President Nikki Fortunato Bas and Councilmember Dan Kalb.

While the eviction moratorium had been in place for over two years, it was always intended to be temporary. City leaders hoped to prevent a mass uptick in homelessness among households suddenly unable to pay rent due to historic levels of unemployment caused by the pandemic.

However, as the pandemic has dragged on, tensions arose over the continuation of the policy and the question of how to end it. The decision to end the moratorium came after a long meeting that drew large crowds of renters and landlords who waved signs and formed long lines to speak their minds.

Landlords and tenants both had strong opinions on the matter. Some landlords demanded a quicker end to the moratorium and payback for landlords who are due rent. On the other hand, numerous renters, who make up a majority of Oakland residents, spoke out, saying that ending the moratorium without strong tenant protections would exacerbate housing insecurity.

The moratorium proposal will return to the City Council on May 2 for a final vote. While usually, the "second reading" is a formality, in rare cases, council members use it to reverse controversial decisions. Therefore, it remains to be seen whether any changes will be made to the proposal before it becomes law.

In the meantime, the decision to end the eviction moratorium marks an important moment for Oakland and its residents. With new tenant protections in place, the city aims to stave off a flurry of evictions after the moratorium ends and provide greater housing stability and certainty.