Back in December, David emailed you about two new bills he introduced immediately after being sworn in to his new term in the Assembly — AB 15 and AB 16 — absolutely critical bills that the Legislature must pass this month to keep Californians safely in their homes during the darkest time of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The current eviction moratorium expires on January 31st — so it’s the eleventh hour. Can you add your name to David’s petition to help him pass this crucial bills?
Governor Newsom and many other leaders in Sacramento agree that we must protect renters from eviction in this crucial time and provide financial relief to struggling renters and landlords — so this is a must-win situation, on behalf of millions of Californians.
Thanks for your raising your voice and standing with David!
The Chiu Crew
—————–
To: The Chiu Crew
From: David Chiu
Date: December 8, 2020
I want to thank you again for the incredible honor of representing San Francisco in the California State Legislature. Yesterday, my colleagues and I took the oath of office to start the new two-year legislative session.
A few months ago, I promised that as soon as I was back in Sacramento, I would keep up the fight to address COVID-19 evictions. Immediately after our swearing-in, I introduced two key bills to keep California renters in their homes — AB 15 and AB 16.
These policies will extend eviction protections for renters impacted by COVID-19 through next year, and establish a framework for a rental assistance program that is desperately needed by struggling tenants and small landlords hanging by a thread. Will you add your name here to support these two critical bills?
The current eviction moratorium for tenants experiencing COVID-19 economic hardship is slated to end January 31st. In a recent Census survey, over 2 million renter households in California reported “little to no confidence” in their ability to pay next month’s rent.
As cases continue to rise — endangering our public health and our economic future — millions of renters are staring down an eviction cliff if AB 15 is not passed to extend the current eviction moratorium. A recent UCLA study found that states that lifted eviction moratoriums in recent months saw an estimated 433,700 new COVID cases and 10,700 deaths. This isn’t theoretical — those are real lives that could have been saved. We can’t allow that to be California’s fate.
At the same time, the long-term solution to this crisis is financial relief for our struggling tenants and small mom-and-pop landlords. Even if renters are protected from evictions, they will face a mountain of debt. The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia recently estimated that the back rent owed by California tenants will reach $1.7 billion by the end of this year. AB 16 will provide a framework for how rental assistance can balance support for struggling tenants and property owners. Without meaningful public funding, the economic recovery from this pandemic will take much longer.
It’s critical that we pass these bills, and keep millions safe during this pandemic — but it won’t be an easy fight. I need your help to protect Californians from COVID-19 evictions and build a stronger future for renters across the state.
Please add your name here in support of these bills. And after you do, please share the petition with friends and family. It will take all of us speaking with one voice to protect millions of Californians.
Onward,
David