The Beverly Hills City Council once again revised its COVID-19-related Urgency Ordinance concerning residential and commercial tenant evictions. The Council voted 5-0 just before midnight on June 18 to amend the ordinance so that July will be the final month for commercial tenants to not pay rent due to financial impacts related to the pandemic under the ordinance.
In initially enacting a temporary moratorium on eviction for non-payment of rent “due to substantial financial impacts related to COVID-19” on March 16 (Ordinance No. 20-O-2805), the City allowed commercial and residential tenants a year to repay forborne rent sans penalties. The provision was intended to serve both as an affirmative defense for a commercial eviction as well as curb potential vacancies.
