ELK GROVE, Calif. — In a meeting in which all Elk Grove City Councilmembers called in due to the coronavirus, city leaders decided not to halt tenant evictions, which would have helped residential and commercial renters affected by the coronavirus.
Elk Grove City Councilmembers said they worried that halting evictions would be unfair to landlords and want to find a better solution before the next council meeting.
“That's all in favor of the tenants and nothing for the landlords, which it just makes a bad situation worse,” said Elk Grove Vice Mayor Steven Detrick.
The 4-1 vote came one day after Sacramento and Stockton placed a moratorium on residential evictions within the cities.
Gov. Gavin Newsom this week stopped short prevent evictions statewide amid the coronavirus pandemic, leaving the decision up to local governments.
The lack of action from Elk Grove leaders has resident Kathy Banger nervous about losing her home because of she must stay home from work with daughter.
“Our family lives paycheck to paycheck,” Banger told ABC10.”
Elk Grove City Manager Jason Behrmann told ABC10 that officials will look at the federal, state and local levels to see how others are handling rental evictions amid the coronavirus pandemic.
“The hope is that tenants will be able to work with landlords,” Behrmann said. “We heard overwhelmingly from our landlords that they are willing to work with tenants and help them through these times.”
Behrmann said that the council will step in if they find that landlords are not willing to work with tenants who are impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. Behrmann said city leaders will explore a “larger, broader package” that would provide the most assistance to business owners, landlords and tenants.
The city council meets again on March 25, just days before rent is due.
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