How can Ventura County prepare for the looming eviction crisis caused by COVID-19?

Erin Rode
Ventura County Star

Even before COVID-19 impacted the finances of countless families, many Ventura County residents already struggled to pay rent. 

More than half of Ventura County renters were considered "cost-burdened" by rent in 2019, meaning they paid more than 30% of their incomes on rent.

A report last year from the Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy found that the county's working-class and immigrant renters also faced poor living conditions like roaches, rats and mold.

Renters surveyed by CAUSE said they dealt with the rising cost of housing by cutting expenses like food, getting another job or doubling up in a home with another family. 

Maria Navarro, policy advocate for CAUSE, shared the findings from this survey on Thursday night at "A Town Hall on the Pending Eviction Crisis," a virtual panel hosted by the Oxnard Performing Arts Center. She noted that these trends are likely to worsen due to COVID-19.

The town hall is part of a two-year series called "Close to Home: A community conversation spotlighting the people, places, and perspectives surrounding homelessness." CSU Channel Islands sociology faculty Sunghee Nam is co-curating the events with OPAC and moderated Thursday's panel. 

Panelists discuss housing issues in Ventura County during "A Town Hall on the Pending Eviction Crisis," a virtual discussion hosted by the Oxnard Performing Arts Center Corporation. 
,

The panel focused on the expected wave of evictions caused by COVID-19 as eviction moratoriums expire next year. The wide range of panelists included advocates, a landlord, city staff and an attorney, among others. 

"COVID has exposed the housing crisis in California and put into overdrive the underlying issues of housing affordability in Oxnard and Ventura County," Navarro said.

Tenants are currently protected

Currently, tenants are protected by theTenant, Homeowner and Small Landlord Relief and Stabilization Act of 2020, which passed at the end of August. Under the state law, renters can't be evicted for nonpayment of rent through the end of January if they were financially impacted by the pandemic. 

However, renters are required to pay at least 25% of their back-owed rent from Sept. 1 through Jan. 31 by the end of January. Renters can do this by paying at least 25% of their rent each month or they can pay a lump sum of 25% of the total rent owed in by the end of January.

COVID-19 COVERAGE:Here's how county's winter homeless shelters are adapting to pandemic

Starting in February, renters must begin paying their full rent each month, and in March they must start paying the rest of their back-owed rent. 

According to local landlord Matt Capritto with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties, landlords should work individually with tenants to work out a payment plan. 

"I've had a few tenants on payment programs where they've now caught up, a couple who are behind again, and another who negotiated to pay their monthly rent using their deposit. I think it is incumbent on landlords to take a deep breath, assess the individual needs of a tenant and work with them one-on-one," he said. 

The looming eviction wave

Housing advocates and others worry that as these protections expire, a wave of evictions will begin, resulting in an increase in homelessness. 

Ventura County's 2020 homeless count identified 1,743 homeless individuals, but the actual number of homeless people is typically triple the number counted, according to Amy Duganne, program manager with the United Way of Ventura County. 

"What we are going to see when the eviction moratoriums are lifted is not just going to be a wave, it is going to be a tidal wave, and we have not been able to manage our homelessness crisis pre-COVID. The numbers are going to be staggering," said Duganne.

What resources are available for tenants?

In recent months, local cities and counties have enacted rental assistance programs to help reduce the amount of rent tenants owe.

Ventura County Deputy Executive Officer Paul Stamper noted that the county provided rental assistance to thousands of tenants this summer, and recently launched a household assistance program specifically for farmworkers. 

Simi Valley and Thousand Oaks both launched their own rental assistance programs, which allow residents of those cities to receive assistance. And Oxnard plans on launching its own rental assistance program soon, Oxnard Housing Director Emilio Ramirez said on Thursday. 

MORE:Farmworker assistance program gets $3 million boost after Ventura County sees high demand

Finding creative solutions

Panelists noted the need to find creative solutions to both the new crisis of evictions during COVID-19 and the county's underlying housing issues. 

"We are about to see a spike in everything – unemployment, homelessness, overcrowding, poor conditions of housing... And that is based on COVID. If we were not in a pandemic we would still have a crisis, we would still have these issues," said Ramirez. 

Ramirez stressed that wages aren't keeping up with the cost of housing, especially in Oxnard. 

"At the end of the day, do we build more units, and are we going to be able to build ourselves out of this scenario? We have to develop wages. Yes, we can build more units and more affordable housing and more housing supply, but we need to develop wages," he said. 

Navarro stressed the need for solutions like rent control, education on rights for tenants and legal aid for tenants facing eviction. 

Clyde Reynolds, chairperson of the Vulnerable Populations Housing Advocacy Network, said leaders should work to lower the cost of building very low-income housing through alternative housing models like tiny homes. 

At the county level, Stamper mentioned working with developers to determine road blocks and make the development process easier, potentially by rethinking existing zoning.

"I think there is a welcoming of creative solutions, and an acknowledgement that we have a crisis. We need solutions, and we can't meet this challenge by doing the same things we have been doing," he said. 

A recording of the panel is available to watch online on YouTube. 

Erin Rode covers housing, real estate and development for The Star. Reach her at erin.rode@vcstar.com or 805-437-0312.