SR 07-13-2021 13L 13.L
July 13, 2021
Council Meeting: July 13, 2021 Santa Monica, California
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CITY CLERK’S OFFICE - MEMORANDUM
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Denise Anderson-Warren, City Clerk, Records & Elections Services
Department
Date: July 13, 2021
13.L Request of Mayor Himmelrich, Mayor Pro Tem McCowan and
Councilmember Negrete that staff create an enhanced communications
campaign to inform renter residents and property owners about the
resources available to them after the passage of AB 832 and how to
access these resources. Staff should consider what methods (mail,
doorhangers, emails, hotline etc.) will be most inclusive and cost-effective
in reaching SM renters and property owners to help them understand their
opportunities and know where and how they apply for these resources.
13.L
Packet Pg. 2617
Dear Mayor Himmelrich and Councilmembers,
As you know the State Legislature of California, in response to the unparalleled public health crisis and
economic disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, approved AB 832 (Bloom) and Governor
Newsom signed the bill into law. It will do the following:
• extend the state’s eviction moratorium through September 30, 2021 and
• clear rent debt for low-income Californians that have suffered economic hardship due to the
pandemic.
California will significantly increase cash assistance to 1) low-income tenants and 2) small landlords under
the state’s $5.2 billion rent relief program.
AB 832 increases the value of the reimbursement under the state’s emergency rental assistance program
provides to now cover:
• 100 percent of past-due and prospective rent payments,
• as well as utility bills for income-qualified tenants.
• also allows tenants to access rental funds directly if their landlord chooses not to participate
• ensures landlords can receive compensation even if their otherwise income-qualified tenants have
already vacated a unit.
This all sounds great – but the big risk is that neither tenants nor landlords will fully understand the help
that is available or will not understand who is eligible and how to access these funds.
If they do not there is a great risk that there will be many unnecessary evictions, perhaps even
property owners facing default on mortgages.
These people need help in understanding these programs and in actually accessing the benefits. While
there is a role for community-based organizations like SMRR in reaching out to our memberships of
affected tenants, the scale of the communication challenge far exceeds the resources of such bodies.
We believe the City of Santa Monica is the only agency with the resources and capacity needed to
communicate at scale quickly enough to our residents and property owners to ensure we do not have
a massive eviction crisis after September 30. We call upon the City to do so.
The City needs to step up and make sure our renter residents and property owners understand the resources
available to them and how to access these resources. We call on the City to put in place the enhanced
communications program needed (mail, doorhangers, emails, etc.) so that SM renters and property owners
understand their opportunities and know where and how they apply for these resources. We call on the
City to create a hotline and other programs staffed by city employees trained to answer questions and assist
the effected renters and landlords.
The risk of not doing so we believe is very significant.
Sincerely,
Denny Zane Mike Soloff
Co-Chair, Santa Monicans for Renters’ Rights Co-Chair, Santa Monicans for Renters’ Rights
13.L.a
Packet Pg. 2618 Attachment: Written Comments (4663 : Himmelrich, McCowan, Negrete Item: Resources Available after AB 832 Passage)