Santa Clara Co. supervisors approve $5M in assistance for landlords to prevent renter evictions

SAN JOSE, Calif. - Santa Clara County board of supervisors approved an additional $5 million in financial assistance Tuesday night, aimed at preventing evictions during the pandemic. 

The funding will alleviate renters and landlords who are struggling to make ends meet due to job losses and hardship, stemming from COVID-19. 

“We are surgically targeting this $5 million to help the most vulnerable families pay enough rent to avoid the ‘eviction time bomb’ when the eviction moratoriums expire. This money will go directly to their landlords,” said Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors President Cindy Chavez.

County officials explained under the state eviction moratorium, residential tenants have until January 31, 2021 to pay 25 percent of their back rent and avoid eviction. 

The financial assistance is intended to buy renters time so they can catch up with  those payments.

"Supervisor Dave Cortese and I proposed adding the $5 million to the Silicon Valley Community Foundation’s Relief Fund which will be ably operated by Destination Home," Chavez said. The non-profit organization mentioned is focused on ending homelessness.