Assembly Bill 3088, the COVID-19 Tenant Relief Act of 2020, went into effect on August 31, 2020. The Bill prohibits a residential tenant from being evicted for failure to pay rent that became due between March 1, 2020 and January 31, 2021 if the tenant submits a declaration that their failure to pay rent was due to financial distress related to COVID-19. Both landlords and tenants have new responsibilities under the Bill.
To evict a residential tenant for failure to pay rent, a landlord must generally serve a notice to pay rent or quit and then obtain a court order for unlawful detainer. For rent that became due March 1, 2020 to January 31, 2021, Assembly Bill 3088 provides that a court may not grant an unlawful detainer unless the landlord has provided the tenant notice that includes language specified by law and the tenant has failed to declare financial distress.
To determine if you have rights under this State law, tenants and landlords have several resources.
- COVID-19 Information App and at https://landlordtenant.dre.ca.gov
- Legal Services of Northern California Flyer (English)
- Legal Services of Northern California Flyer (Espanol)
Financial Resources:
Yolo County Housing Authority currently has rental and utility assistance available to support low to moderate income residents who have lost income due to COVID-19. Please see links below to program information.