Housing Resources

Read this page in Spanish (Español)┃ TagalogChinese (中文)

  1. Renters
  2. Homeowners
  3. Utilities
  4. Stay Housed Program
  5. Aid for Tenants & Property Owners

Financial Assistance
CA COVID-19 Rent Relief will help income-eligible households pay rent and utilities, both for past due and future payments. The federal Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 provides funding to support the program and tenant (renter) protection laws signed by Governor Newsom. The program assists income-qualified renters impacted by COVID-19 who need help to pay for rent or utilities. Eligible household income may not exceed 80% of the local median income. Eligible renters whose landlords do not participate in the program can still receive 25% of unpaid rent accrued between April 1, 2020, and March 31, 2021. Eligible renters can also receive future rent assistance equal to 25% of their monthly rent. The program also provides up to 80% rent reimbursement to landlords for unpaid rent accrued between April 1, 2020, and March 31, 2021.
Check eligibility and apply online for COVID-19 Rent Relief and in Spanish Ayuda con la Renta. Tenants and landlords can contact the CA COVID-19 Rent Relief Call Center at 1-833-430-2122 for assistance to apply. 

Protection for Tenants

A number of temporary measures to protect tenants during the public health emergency have been enacted at state, county, and city levels. Making sense of this patchwork of overlapping, sometimes contradictory legislation and policy can be challenging. Bay Legal recommends that tenants:

  • Consult the web page, "Resources and News for Tenants During the COVID-19 Emergency," which lays out essential first steps to protect yourself if you are having trouble paying rent during the emergency, and provides links to self-help resources, news, and updates. Check back frequently, as we are updating the page as changes affecting housing law emerge. 
  • Read about state- and county-level policies which protect tenants rights. Click here.
  • Seek legal advice and counsel. Tenants concerned about the impact of COVID-19 on their housing issues: 
    • [Alameda County residents]: Please call our Tenants Rights Line at 1 (888) 382-3405. 
    • [All other Bay Area residents]: Please call our Legal Advice Line at 1 (800) 551-5554. 
  • Read the FAQs for Alameda County Renters’ Rights During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

ECHO Housing Tenants Rights and Eviction Protections on January 26, 2021 from 1 PM to 2 PM.

Moratorium on Evictions

On March 24th, the City Council voted unanimously in favor of a temporary suspension of evictions for qualifying residential and commercial tenants in Union City. 

The Ordinance prohibits evictions for residential and commercial tenants that can show:

1. Inability to pay rent due to, or arising out of a substantial decrease in household or business income or substantial out-of-pocket medical expenses; and

2. The decrease in income, or out-of-pocket medical expenses, was caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, or by any local, state, or federal government response to COVID-19, and is documented in writing. 

Qualifying impacts on residential tenants related to COVID-19 include:

• COVID-19 illness or caring for a household or family member with COVID-19 illness 

• Work closures, layoffs, job loss, a reduction in the number of compensable hours or other economic or employer impacts

• Missing work due to a minor child’s school closure, compliance with government health authority orders, or other similarly-caused reasons.

Qualifying impacts on commercial tenants related to COVID-19 include:

• Work closures

• Reduction in staff reporting to work 

• Reduction in opening hours

• Reduction in consumer demand

• Compliance with government health authority orders 

• Other similarly-caused reason resulting in loss of business income

Stipulations:

• Tenants have 10 days after rent is due to notify landlord

• Tenant that meets the requirements of the ordinance has an affirmative defense in unlawful detainer proceeding

• The moratorium on rent for a tenant that meets the requirements of the ordinance is in effect until May 31, 2020, the expiration of the local emergency or the Governor’s proclamation of a state of emergency, whichever occurs last

• The moratorium is not rent forgiveness. While the moratorium prevents a landlord from evicting you for failure to pay rent due to a qualifying COVID-19 related reason, you will still owe back rent to your landlord. 

Read the full ordinance here.