California to Pay off all Past Due Rent Accrued During COVID, Giving Renters Clean Slate

[ansible]

California is paying off residents' past due rent that was accrued during the COVID-19 pandemic, giving renters a clean slate, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced recently.

The state's $5.2 billion in funds from Congressionally-approved aid packages is enough to pay off overdue rent, according to Newsom's senior counselor on housing and homelessness, Jason Elliott, the Associated Press reported. However, just $32 million out of $490 million in requests for rental assistance through May 31 have been covered so far, according to a California Department Housing and Community Development report.

"We should do our best to get back to the starting point where we were in December of 2019. Anything other than that is taking advantage of a crisis," said Keith Becker, a property manager in Sonoma County. He revealed that 14 tenants have not paid $100,000 worth of rent.

https://www.newsweek.com/california-pay-off-all-past-due-rent-accrued-during-covid-giving-renters-clean-slate-1602556

[onecaliberal]

1. This is outstanding.

[brush]

2. Guess who's getting re-elected and not re-called?

[IcyPeas]

14. I was sent this poll this morning from Democrats.com

asking who will you vote for. Granted this was sent out by Democrats to Democrats. But it's a gauge of how Dems are voting.

[brush]

15. That sounds about right.

[FakeNoose]

3. Wow! That's amazing

After that, they need to help the homeless people who are mostly living in tents.

[tritsofme]

4. This is the only thing that makes sense.

The mortgage obligations of the landlords aren’t going to disappear, but renters are never going to be able to come up with months of back rent. The only fair thing is to wipe the slate clean.

[TDale313]

5. This is great. Much needed relief.

Also, probably not a bad move politically for a Governor facing a recall. Not a knock, just saying it’s probably good for him as well as being the right thing to do. Or maybe not… voters can get weird if they think someone struggling is getting help.

[Lettuce Be]

6. This is so smart! I was just thinking yesterday how landlords need to be made whole

Otherwise they are taking it in the shorts for not being able to evict, yet we cannot have millions suddenly evicted.

[Me.]

7. Marvelous

[appalachiablue]

8. Wonderful! California Rent Jubilee

[CentralMass]

9. That is great.

[Solly Mack]

10. K&R

[iluvtennis]

11. Love it...that's the way it should be done!! n/t

[superpatriotman]

12. One state down

Forty-nine to go.

[flotsam]

13. Somewhat question...

California max unemployment is $450 per week+300 federal=39K+ minimum 3K over 3 stimulus checks=42K minimum and now every renter is eligible for 10K plus in rent forgiveness=52K for a single childless worker-or pretty close to 4 times Social security income. I kinda bet there are a bunch of people (like 10%+) who merely found it more convenient not to pay and think there should be some form of needs testing-because this is NOT a prepay like unemployment or SSI-this is fullblown government "largess" and as such there will be large scale undeserving (or unneeding) takers.

[honest.abe]

16. This is win win situation.

Good for California!

[dickthegrouch]

17. Anyone know who has to apply for it?

The renter or the landlord?
Are there any checks and balances to make sure those predisposed renters don't just abscond with the money again? Or for the state to pay scammers in every other country in the world?
I am all for this, but I want a lot more protections on it than they put on unemployment.