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Further Important Information for Santa Monica Renters Regarding Rent Payments and Evictions

On April 7th, SMRR convened a panel of experts who spoke for 90 minutes about the changes in law affecting Santa Monica renters during the COVID-19 crisis. You can view the entire Webinar by clicking on this link: SMRR Webinar

Some highlights of their remarks include:

If you are able to pay your rent despite the COVID-19 crisis, you are still required to and should do so in order to protect your home.

If you are not able to pay your rent due to the financial impact of the COVID-19 emergency, you should notify your landlord of this fact in writing and provide supporting documentation as soon as possible, but in no event later than 30 days after the missed rent was due. It is essential that you maintain proof of what you provided to your landlord and when. Legal services organizations can provide advice to you about how best to do all of this (see below).

If you receive from your landlord any notice, demand, threat, disagreement, request to enter into a repayment agreement, or any legal paper you should seek legal advice immediately from one of the legal services organizations about how to respond (see below).

You can reach out for legal advice to the following organizations at the telephone numbers and/or online as follows:

Santa Monica Office of Legal Aid Foundation Los Angeles
Phone: 800-399-4529
Web: https://lafla.org/get-help/

Bet Tzedek Legal Services (no restrictions based on immigration documentation status)
Phone: 323-939-0506
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.bettzedek.org

Mental Health Advocacy Services, Inc. (no restrictions based on immigration documentation status)
Phone: 213-389-2077
Web: http://mhas-la.org/connect/

On April 9, two days after our webinar, the City of Santa Monica issued a further revised Executive Order relating to rent payments and evictions during the coronavirus (COVID-19) state of emergency. The revised order is available by clicking on this link: Revised Order The City’s explanation of this revised order is available by clicking on this link:
https://www.santamonica.gov/press/2020/04/08/santa-monica-broadens-its-temporary-eviction-moratorium

Although SMRR cannot provide any legal advice, SMRR volunteer hotliners are available to help answer questions you might have. The SMRR Tenant Hotline number is 310-394-0848. SMRR will continue to be there for you if you have questions about your tenancy in Santa Monica.

Discussions continue at all levels of government regarding the potential to further improve renter protections during the current emergency. We are staying closely connected with local leaders and our renters’ rights allies during these times of uncertainty to help renters in any way that we can. We are continuously advocating to ensure that any modified or new tenant protections are as safe and secure as they can be for Santa Monica renters. Our top priority is the health and safety of Santa Monicans and their homes. We will continue to share new information with you by email and on our website.

We want you to stay safe and healthy and obtain the resources you need during our local emergency. Please forward this email to your neighbors and other residents of Santa Monica. We’re here for you.

The SMRR Team thanks you for your support.

www.smrr.org

Published inRenters' Rights