Krista Gulbransen

Berkeley’s eviction moratorium expired the end of April and entered its transition period, which will last until Aug. 31.

The city of Berkeley’s COVID-19 eviction moratorium expired yesterday and is now entering its “Transition Period.”

A state appeals court ruled Monday that Berkeley will be able to subject a property which the owner had bought in order to repair into new housing to rent control, as first reported by the SF Chronicle. 

Under a bill being considered by California lawmakers, landlords would need to own a property for at least five consecutive years before they can invoke the Ellis Act to evict sitting tenants from the property.

When a Berkeley tenant’s roommate, a student at UC Berkeley, left the city a month before the pandemic unfolded, the tenant decided to renew the lease on their rent-controlled apartment. The tenant said they thought they could find another roommate, and they reckoned it would be hard to find a cheaper place to live.

The Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board passed two policies Friday that would reduce disincentives for landlords to lower rent and respond to the state emergency.

UC Berkeley will begin fall semester fully online, but a possible influx of students is still raising concerns for some local residents.

Many apartments throughout Berkeley sit empty as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has caused difficulties in the process of renting out new units and a severe loss of income to some landlords.

Berkeley's Rent Stabilization Board passed an emergency resolution allowing landlords and tenants to negotiate rent reductions during the local state of emergency while keeping the rent ceiling intact.

Concerns over rent payments, possible evictions and increased housing insecurity in Berkeley have been raised in light of the COVID-19, colloquially known as the coronavirus, pandemic.