90 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Culver City
By Sam Catanzaro
The City of Culver City has extended its moratorium on residential and commercial evictions citing anticipated slow economic growth, even as businesses begin to open.
At its meeting on April 27, 2020, the City Council directed the City Manager to extend the time period within which tenants must pay their landlords all back rent to 12 months after the expiration of the residential and commercial eviction moratoria.
On April 28, the City Manager issued an Eighth Supplement to Public Order, consistent with the City Council’s April 27 direction, extending the grace period from six months to 12 months.
“Over the past several weeks, residential and commercial tenets have expressed concerns that once stay at home orders are lifted and they are able to back to work or reopen business, as the case may be, it will be a slow financial recovery and challenge to pay Back Rent while keeping up with current rent, and that the six-month period for the payment of Back Rent may not be sufficient,” wrote Culver City City Manager John Nachbar in the order.
The Los Angeles Department of Public Health has issued a five-stage roadmap to recovery that describes a phased approach to relaxing select directives of the Safer at Home Order and a reopening process for certain business sectors. The County begins stage two Friday, allowing florists and some retailers to offer curbside pickup. Car dealerships, golf courses and trails will also open with appropriate safeguards in place.
Physical distancing and infection control protocols must be adhered to and cloth facing coverings must be worn. Employers are required to provide a cloth face covering for all employees to wear while performing duties that involve contact with others and limit the number of people entering businesses.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, commercial and residential tenant eviction moratoria are currently in place prohibiting all evictions of residential tenants (subject to certain limited exceptions), and evictions of commercial tenants due to circumstances related to the COVID-19 pandemic, through May 31, 2020.
Violaters of the public order, according to the City, are subject criminal penalties not to exceed $1,000 or six months or both.
As of Thursday, there are 90 confirmed cases of COVID-19 among Culver City residents.
