"The eviction moratoria here did not permanently deny landowners a fundamental property right," Beeler wrote in her Sept. 3 order. She said the bans were based on "legitimate government interests, for example those of promoting housing stability during a pandemic and preventing spread of the virus."
Oakland and Alameda County each enacted eviction moratorium policies in March 2020, prohibiting landlords from kicking out tenants even if they didn't pay rent. The policies... were designed to keep residents housed as the pandemic forced many businesses to shut down, and many tenants lost their jobs and incomes.
The local moratoria were considered some of the strongest COVID-19 tenant protections in the country, and they stayed in effect for far longer than many others. Alameda County lifted its moratorium in April 2023 and Oakland's ended that summer.
Beeler said the loss of rental income wasn't enough to prove the government's actions constituted an unconstitutional 'taking' of property. The property owners could file a new complaint based on narrower legal questions with more evidence.
Collection
[
|
...
]