LOS ANGELES — California's governor has banned all evictions for the next two months amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order Friday that prohibits landlords, law enforcement and the courts from enforcing eviction notices until May 31. The order takes effect for rents due on April 1.
During a press conference, Gov. Newsom said the halt on evictions came after only 30 jurisdictions acted on eviction protections.
"30 jurisdictions have moved already or have moved now more aggressively to establish a framework, but only 30. And, as a consequence of that, today, we just established a new overlay for the state of California that denies the capacity of enforcement court proceedings for any evictions through May 31," said Gov. Newsom.
Local governments, which includes cities like Elk Grove and Sacramento, had already passed eviction protections before the governor's order.
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The executive order from the governor only applies to tenants who are not already behind on their payments.
Gov. Newsom said the order doesn't preempt any local ordinances that go deeper or farther.
The order comes two days after five of the nation's largest banks plus hundreds of credit unions and state-chartered banks agreed to defer mortgage payments for people affected by the virus.
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