Although federal restrictions for residential evictions under the C.A.R.E.S. Act expired towards the end of July; the residential eviction moratorium continues in Cathedral City until September 30, 2020 as Cathedral City passed Emergency Ordinance No. 837. The emergency ordinance offers a defense in court to any tenant who faces eviction due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Tenants must demonstrate that they received a notice of eviction for failure to pay rent, and that such failure is related to a substantial decrease in household or business income or substantial out-of-pocket medical expenses cause by the COVID-19 pandemic or any local, state, or federal government response to the pandemic.
To take advantage of the protections of the moratorium, tenants must notify the landlord in writing within 5 days after the day the rent is due. “Writing” can also mean emails, text messages, or other forms of electronic communications with the landlord or the landlord’s representative. Please keep in mind that these protections do not alleviate the tenant’s duty to pay. All unpaid rent will be due 60 days after the termination of this ordinance.
The residential eviction moratorium was initially passed by the city council on March 25, 2020 and will terminate when the California governor ends the state moratorium or if the city council, by a 4/5 vote, decides to end the moratorium, whichever comes first. Governor Newsom has extended the ability for local governments to halt evictions currently through September 30, 2020.
For more information, read Emergency Ordinance 837:
Governor Newsom’s Eviction Moratorium: https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/6.30.20-EO-N-71-20.pdf
