Ord 2020-003 Urgency Ord Enacting a Temporary Moratorium of Evictions

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WHEREAS, displacement through eviction destabilizes the living situation of tenants, impacts the health of San Leandro residents, and detrimentally affects the conduct of commerce and business, disrupting the social ties and networks that are integral to citizens' welfare, businesses, and the stability of all communities within the City; and WHEREAS, displacement through eviction creates undue hardship for tenants through additional relocation costs, and during the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, affected tenants who have lost income due to impacts on the economy or their employment may be at risk of homelessness or business loss, closure or bankruptcy if they are evicted for non-payment as they will have little or no income and thus be unable to secure other housing or business operation space if evicted; and WHEREAS, housing instability threatens the public peace, health, and safety as eviction from one's home can lead to prolonged homelessness; strain on household finances due to the necessity of paying rental application fees and security deposits; stress and anxiety experienced by those displaced; interruption of the education of children in the home; and increased exposure to, and spreading of COVID-19, in contradiction to the Alameda County Health Officer's orders; and WHEREAS, businesses are also affected by COVID-19 and may be unable to pay rent. If businesses are unable to pay rent, they may be evicted, which will negatively impact the local economy by laying off employees and ceasing to provide services to residents of the City, and negatively impacting local health by forcing persons out of their shelter -in-place locations to prepare for business eviction, increasing potential COVID-19 exposure, and reducing the number of retail and commercial spaces available to provide essential services, also increasing potential COVID-19 exposure as a result of less retail and commercial spaces available for residents and thus less space available for social distancing; and WHEREAS, the City Council finds and determines that regulating the relations between residential and commercial landlords and tenants is essential to preventing the spread of COVID-19 in the City and thereby serves the public peace, health, welfare and safety; and WHEREAS, an urgency ordinance that is effective immediately is necessary to avoid the immediate threat to public peace, health, welfare, and safety as failure to adopt this urgency ordinance could result in the avoidable displacement or exposure to COVID-19 of the City's residents and community members. NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN LEANDRO, DOES HEREBY ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. FINDINGS The City Council of the City of San Leandro finds that all Recitals are true and correct and incorporated herein by reference. The provisions of the Governor's Executive Order N-28-20 (March 17, 2020), including its recitals, are incorporated herein as if fully set forth. SECTION 2. URGENCY FINDINGS The City Council of the City of San Leandro hereby finds that there is a current and immediate threat to the public health, safety and/or welfare and a need for immediate preservation of the public peace, health, welfare and safety that warrants this urgency ordinance, which finding is ORDINANCE NO. 2020-003