California courts are expected to begin processing unlawful-detainer actions again in roughly two months.
The Judicial Council of California will decide by Wednesday whether to let its suspension of evictions expire Aug. 3.
The council’s eviction suspension took effect in April in response to the coronavirus and its financial impacts on renters.
The council’s anticipated decision this week comes as California begins a phased reopening, and courts restore services shuttered due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Housing policy decisions are usually left to the state Legislature, which was unable to hold sessions during the statewide shelter-in-place order,” Judge Marla Anderson, chairwoman of the Judicial Council’s Legislation Committee, said in this news release. “With the Legislature back in session, lawmakers can address any measures needed to protect the homes and businesses of those affected by the pandemic.”
The California Apartment Association took issue with the council’s rule in April and sent this letter to its members, urging revisions to the rule.
Although well-intended, CAA said, the council’s rule would allow tenants, including those with the ability to pay, to withhold rent without fear of eviction while leaving landlords struggling to pay their mortgages without protection from foreclosure.