By Lookout Staff

December 22, 2020 -- The City on Tuesday extended its moratorium on residential evictions for reasons other than nonpayment of rent through the end of March and required landlords to email the City Attorney copies of any eviction notices.

Tenants are covered by state law from eviction for nonpayment of rent through January 31, as long as they pay at least 25 percent of their rent and show financial hardship due to the COVID-19 emergency.

The City anticipates the State moratorium will be extended after the recent surge in coronavirus cases, which is "stretching hospitals beyond their capacity" and breaking records for daily infection rates.

"As we walk together through these darkest days of the pandemic, we continue to align Santa Monica’s emergency provisions to those of the State and County and to extend local protections to Santa Monicans impacted by this deadly virus,” Interim City Manager Lane Dilg said in a statement.

“We also want to remind the community to please not gather and find safe ways to celebrate the season at home with the members of your household.”

In addition to extending the local eviction moratorium, the City's 31st emergency supplement "requires landlords to report efforts to evict residential tenants," City officials said.

Landlords must email the City Attorney’s Office "unredacted copies of any notices provided in an effort to evict" within two days of serving the notice.

This includes any termination notice, such as the 15-day notice required by the COVID-19 Tenant Relief Act, or a Summons and Complaint for Unlawful Detainer.

The supplement issued Tuesday also extends the expiration of supplements still in place to January 31 unless a later expiration date is stated.

The order makes exceptions for preferential parking enforcement and meetings of the City's appointed bodies.

The suspension of preferential parking enforcement is extended only through January 3, except in Zone 3 (along the beach), where enforcement began on May 22.

The supplemental order also lifts the suspension of meetings of City Boards, Commissions, and other appointed bodies as of December 31 in accordance with the direction provided by the City Council.

In addition, the order changes the basis for the Annual Taxicab Vehicle Permit Fee for the period from February 1, 2020 to January 31, 2021.

The permit fee for the period "will be based on the actual number of taxicab vehicles in operation rather than the number of taxicab vehicles permitted to operate," City officials said.

For the latest information, visit santamonica.gov/coronavirus, or call the City’s Coronavirus Hotline at (310) 458-8400.