SAN DIEGO (CNS) — The county Board of Supervisors Tuesday voted 3-0 in favor of new tenant protection ordinance that its proponent says will shield renters from "predatory practices during a state of emergency."
The measure, sponsored by Supervisor Monica Montgomery Steppe, was approved on consent as part of a second reading. It was developed in response to the January 2024 floods, according to her office.
In a statement, Montgomery Steppe called the approval "a significant step for tenant protection."
Montgomery Steppe's office said the ordinance "will prevent eviction actions against residential tenants impacted by an emergency for at least seven days following the declaration of a local state of emergency."
The policy will affect residential tenants who have experienced emergency situations and natural disasters, including floods and fires, according to Montgomery Steppe.
"It will also pause all pending eviction actions in areas affected by the emergency until the emergency is over," her office said.
"I appreciate my colleagues' support in standing united with our constituents," Montgomery Steppe said. "We will continue to push for stronger protections and measures to ensure that all residents are safe and supported, no matter what challenges come their way."
As natural disasters become more frequent in the San Diego region, "I cannot state enough how imperative it is for us to be prepared with protections for our vulnerable residents," Montgomery Steppe said. "After hearing countless stories of attempts to coerce residents with predatory practices in their most vulnerable moments, we have to decide when enough is enough.
"This ordinance ensures that tenants have temporary yet critical protection from eviction, allowing them to focus on recovery," she added.
The new policy will take effect in 30 days and be applied across the county, including incorporated cities, "if the chief administrative officer determines that an emergency exists in those areas," according to Montgomery Steppe's office
Supervisor Jim Desmond was absent from Tuesday's meeting.
On March 11, supervisors voted 3-1 — with Joel Anderson opposed — to advance the ordinance.
Anderson, who represents District 2, in a statement last month said he originally voted no because the board letter "exceeded what state law requires, hurting housing in my district."
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