Pasadena Rent Moratorium Still in Effect, Despite Federal Eviction Moratorium Lapse

Even though the federal rent moratorium ended at midnight Saturday, Pasadena’s eviction moratorium will remain in effect.

Currently, Pasadena commercial and residential tenants impacted by the virus are protected by a local moratorium, which bans evictions during a public health emergency.

However, the local moratorium is not rent forgiveness. In Pasadena, tenants will be required to pay back rent within six months after the emergency ends.

“The federal eviction moratorium has now expired and there are a lot of renters panicking, even though they are still protected by our state and local moratoria,” said Pasadena Public Information Officer Lisa Derderian. 

All renters are still protected by our state and local moratorium despite the end of the federal moratorium! For more information and guidance call the Housing Rights Center at (626) 831-9732 or visit https://t.co/HBKnjVqYlN and/or https://t.co/ydSwtxue0z. pic.twitter.com/un37xYmSqX

— City of Pasadena (@PasadenaGov) August 2, 2021

Derderian said Pasadena renters can call the Housing Rights Center at (626) 831-9732 if they have questions about how they are protected and the steps they need to take to remain safe. 

Another resource for LA County residents with information on eviction moratoriums/renter protections, rental assistance, and even connection to free legal services, is stayhousedla.org.

“Finally, we encourage renters to apply for state emergency rental assistance if they are behind on rent or struggling to make rent due to the pandemic. The state is now covering 100% of areas for eligible renters. Landlords can apply too,” Derderian said, adding people should visit www.housing.ca.gov for more information.

The state’s moratorium is scheduled to provide protection to tenants through September.

The federal moratorium, put in place by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), prevented landlords from evicting millions of tenants who lost jobs during the pandemic and had fallen months behind on their rent.

Attorneys for landlords successfully challenged the federal moratorium in court. Tenants can access nearly $47 billion in federal money earmarked to help make payments. 

Only $3 billion of those funds had been distributed by the end of June. An additional $1 billion was supposed to go out in July, according to an article in USA Today quoting the National Council of State Housing Agencies.

More than 3.5 million people in the country said they face eviction by Oct.1, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey. 

The crisis is expected to worsen in September when the first foreclosure proceedings would likely begin.