COVID-19 Eviction Protections: What Remains in California

California Tenant Defense System | Justice Foundation

California’s COVID-era eviction protections have largely expired, but some tenant protections established or strengthened during the pandemic remain in force, and the debt relief programs created during that period continue to affect collection of COVID-related rental debt. Understanding the current landscape — what protections remain, what has expired, and what COVID rental debt is still collectible — is essential for tenants carrying debt from that period.

What Has Expired

California’s statewide COVID eviction moratorium expired on September 30, 2021. The local eviction moratoriums in cities like Los Angeles, Oakland, and San Francisco also have now expired or significantly limited their scope. The federal CDC eviction moratorium expired in August 2021. Tenants who accrued COVID-period rental debt are no longer protected from eviction based on that debt by moratorium protections.

What Remains

Several important protections persist. AB 1482’s statewide just cause and rent increase protections remain in full force — these were not COVID-specific measures. Many cities have maintained or strengthened their local rent control and just cause ordinances since the pandemic. The rental assistance programs that paid COVID-period debt for many tenants created records of payment that affect what landlords can legitimately claim as unpaid rent. And the CFPB guidance on COVID rental debt reporting continues to affect how that debt may appear on credit reports.

COVID Rental Debt as a Civil Debt

Unpaid COVID-period rent that was not covered by rental assistance programs is treated as civil debt — not grounds for eviction once the moratorium expired, but potentially collectible through civil lawsuit. Landlords can sue for unpaid COVID-period rent as a civil money judgment, subject to the applicable statute of limitations. If you have outstanding COVID rental debt and your landlord is threatening collection action, the Justice Foundation kit covers your options for negotiating and resolving that debt.