Glendale, CA – On April 8, 2020, the City of Glendale further expanded its Eviction Moratorium in order to protect the Glendale community from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The expanded moratorium includes the following provisions:

Prohibition Against Evictions:  (Residential and Commercial Tenancies)

• Landlords cannot file an unlawful detainer action against either residential or commercial tenants who are unable to pay rent due to circumstances related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Please note that the California Judicial Council has expanded that restriction to state that no complaint for unlawful detainer may be filed for 90 days following the end of the Governor’s emergency order, unless it is necessary to protect public health and safety.

• Tenants must provide verifiable documentation to demonstrate the reason for their inability to pay rent and its relation to the COVID-19 pandemic.

• For commercial tenants, a written notice of a tenant’s inability to pay rent must be provided to the landlord in writing 14 days prior to when the rent is due, except for rent due for the month of April in which case said notice shall be made as soon as practicable.  These orders are in effect until April 30, 2020 but may be further extended if necessary.

• For residential tenants, a written notice of a tenant’s inability to pay rent must be provided to the landlord in writing before the rent is due or within a reasonable period of time thereafter, not to exceed 7 days. The documentation to support deferring rent may be provided to the landlord no later than the time upon payment of back-due rent. These orders are in effect until May 31, 2020 but may be further extended if necessary.

• Tenants will have up to twelve months after the expiration of the emergency order to pay any rent that was deferred because of COVID 19 circumstances.

• A landlord may not charge or collect late charges, fees, or interest on unpaid rent, or engage in any harassing behavior in an attempt to collect deferred rent, when payment of rent is delayed during the period of this emergency.

Although the moratorium has been broadened, the basic framework of the eviction moratorium remains unchanged. The rent due is not waived, just deferred. When the moratorium ends, landlords may seek unpaid rent – i.e., past due rent that was not paid during the moratorium – the tenant must pay it, but within 12 months after the end of the emergency period. 

The City of Glendale encourages all tenants and landlords to exchange this information with each other so that all parties are aware of what can and cannot be done during this emergency.  We also encourage all parties to communicate with each other and show as much patience and empathy as possible as we all work through these difficult times.

https://www.glendaleca.gov/Home/Components/News/News/7293/16