Renters scared of losing homes with San Francisco eviction moratorium near expiration

SAN FRANCISCO - Renters marched through the streets of San Francisco at the eleventh hour in an attempt to stop pandemic evictions. 

Renters say there will soon be a pandemic of evictions as statewide eviction moratorium expires.

Protesters gathered at the Embarcadero Plaza and marched up Market Street. They said they're in danger of losing their homes.

Tenants who've fallen behind on rent over the course of the pandemic are worried that when a statewide eviction moratorium expires on Sept. 30, they could start receiving eviction notices as early as October first.

In June the San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted to extend the rent moratorium locally until the end of the year. Supervisor Dean Preston authored that legislation, and says state lawmakers stepped in, and over-ruled it.

"Not only has the state failed to extend the eviction moratorium when tenants need it the most," said Preston. "But they also in their legislation went ahead and pre-empted cities from adopting new protections."

The supervisor confirmed hearing about some landlords not taking rent money in an attempt to get out existing tenants.

"We've been hearing reports already of landlords who are trying to use the desperate situation that their tenants are in as a way to get out long term rent control tenants so that they can profit more off those units," said Preston.

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Sam Moss from Mission Housing Development Corporation says tenants in rentals around the city and around the state are in real jeopardy of losing their homes.

"Most people who argue that we need the evictions are doing so while just staring at some spreadsheet and not thinking about the true human cost of evictions," said Moss.

Rental advocates are urging renters to access state and local rental assistance, and if they do receive a rent eviction notice to seek out legal council.