RICHMOND — In a contentious city council meeting, Richmond agreed to stop rent increases but denied moving forward with suspending rents completely during the COVID-19 crisis.
On Tuesday, Council members passed amendments to an already-existing eviction moratorium passed earlier this month that will now include a stop to any rent increases in the city for both residential and commercial properties. The motion passed, but with Mayor Tom Butt, Councilman Demnlus Johnson voting “no” and Vice Mayor Nathaniel Bates abstaining from the vote.
During the discussion, Johnson accused councilmen Melvin Willis and Eduardo Martinez, who introduced the proposal to council, of being ill-prepared to present such a topic and not having done enough research. Earlier on Tuesday, the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors passed a similar countywide ordinance, that included an eviction moratorium and rent increase freeze. Cities within the county will be included in the county ordinance, unless they opt out or create their own.
Johnson argued that there was no need for the city to pass its own ordinance. His main points were against Willis, who suggested that the city also instate an 180-day grace period for renters to backpay their rent, for each month the city was under the shelter-in-place order. For example, if the order lasted for the months of April and May, the renters would have an entire year to backpay rent owed for those months. Johnson argued there was no evidence for this 180-day policy.
“We’re just supposed to take your word for it?” Johnson said as Willis also talked over him during the video-conference council meeting.
Willis responded that it was a democratic process open for discussion, and apologized. “No need to apologize, your lack of preparation speaks for itself,” Johnson responded.
A majority of the council however, did not agree that the staff should further study the proposal for a complete rent and mortgage suspension during the shelter-in-place order. The city attorney warned that it could be unconstitutional and “those are not items without legal risk.”
“What this item would do, honestly, it would be a lawsuit,” said Councilman Jael Myrick.
Myrick and Bates said this was a topic for other authorities to take up, such as Congress, not a local government.
“We are a small fish in the fry,” Bates said.
Martinez, in presenting the proposal, said the city was under an extreme situation and it demanded extreme solutions. “We are not business as usual,” he said.
San Jose City Council recently considered a similar rent suspension for three months for tenants unable to pay because of the coronavirus. Their proposal would have relieved tenants of their obligation to back-pay rent after the shelter-in-place was lifted. The council withdrew the proposal after its city attorney warned that it could be considered unconstitutional.
