SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS RADIO) – Evictions have now surpassed pre-pandemic levels in some Bay Area counties as tenant protections passed during the height of COVID-19 have expired.
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It's becoming more and more common for renters to go before judges and be forced to explain their missed payments. According to the Bay Area News Group, more than 10,000 eviction lawsuits have been filed across the Bay Area since the fall of 2021.
For months, tenant advocates have warned about an "eviction tsunami" as state and local pandemic eviction protections started to expire, and this latest data seems to back that up.
In the second half of last year, eviction filings jumped 43% in Contra Costa, Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties – above pre-pandemic levels.
And this comes despite a half billion dollars in federal and state government funding being distributed for struggling renters.
Rental advocates expect eviction cases to remain high in the coming months, which could exacerbate any downturn in the economy.
The data also highlights a disparity among Bay Area counties – some have resources for people facing eviction – like rental relief and legal aid. Meanwhile, others are left to fight their landlords on their own.
According to the Bay Area News Group, Contra Costa County has the least amount of rental assistance.
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