Post-Moratorium Spike in Contra Costa County Evictions—And Where Tenants Can Find Help

This story by Daniel Hennessy, published last Friday in the Richmond Confidential, and quoting BayLegal’s Contra Costa County Managing Attorney Adam Poe, examines court data from Contra Costa County and substantiates what tenant advocates, legal aid firms and our clients have been experiencing over the course of this year: eviction proceedings for nonpayment of rent have surged past pre-pandemic levels following the expiration of local moratoria in cities like Richmond (and throughout the Bay Area, notably in Alameda County, as this article in last Wednesday’s Mercury News shows).

Many tenants, still recovering from multiple years of wage loss and other economic hardship only partially offset by state rental assistance programs that have now expired, find themselves facing what can feel like an inevitable loss of housing, displacement, and even homelessness. However, as the closing paragraph of the article points out, help is available. Tenants facing an Unlawful Detainer proceeding, or who suspect that landlords and property managers are considering this step and who want to understand their options, can reach out to the Eviction Defense Center, Bay Area Legal Aid’s Richmond office and Centro Legal De La Raza.

BayLegal’s Legal Advice Line is often the best starting point for those seeking help, in Contra Costa County and throughout the Bay Area. In Alameda County, tenants can also call our Tenant’s Rights Line at 888-382-3405, 9:30am – 12:30pm Mondays through Thursdays.