Senator Wiener’s Statement on Governor Newsom’s Executive Order Regarding Evictions

March 27, 2020

San Francisco – Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) made the following statement on Governor Gavin Newsom’s Executive Order regarding evictions during the COVID-19 State of Emergency:

“Millions of Californians are struggling during the greatest economic dislocation in nearly a century, and millions of California renters have rent due on April 1 and are unable to pay it. They deserve a complete moratorium on evictions during this emergency, so that they can focus on health and health only.

”While I appreciate the Governor taking action on evictions, his executive order does not meet the task at hand: ensuring that renters can stay in their homes now and after the emergency ends. To be clear, the executive order does not place a moratorium on evictions. Instead, it allows landlords to terminate leases based on non-payment: i.e., to serve notices to pay rent or quit, to declare the lease forfeited, and to initiate and pursue eviction lawsuits. The order simply provides that an eviction order cannot be enforced during the State of Emergency. As a result, landlords will be able to evict their renters on paper and then enforce the eviction physically as soon as the emergency ends. This isn’t enough. The last thing we need is a wave of evictions immediately after the emergency ends, and that is exactly what this executive order allows. We will continue to work on legislation to fully protect California renters during this terrible pandemic.”