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Following the signing of California’s statewide tenant protection measure, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday announced the launch of the “Housing is Key” campaign aimed at connecting renters and landlords experiencing economic hardship due to COVID-19 with helpful information and resources.
The campaign will be run by the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency, or BCSH, and kicks off with a new website and social media ads targeting vulnerable communities.
“Struggling tenants and landlords now have new protections and relief under the law – and it’s critical that all Californians learn their rights,” said Gov. Newsom. “It’s important that we reach renters across the state who might be one paycheck away from losing their homes and landlords who are short on their mortgages because of owed rent. Housing is Key will begin the public education campaign that will ramp up in the weeks to come and target vulnerable communities who have been hit the hardest by this pandemic.”
On Monday, Gov. Newsom signed AB 3088 to protect millions of tenants from eviction and property owners from foreclosure due to the economic impacts of COVID-19. These protections apply to tenants who declare an inability to pay all or part of the rent due to a COVID-related reason.
“Having a home is fundamental to all that we do,” said BCSH Secretary Lourdes Castro Ramírez. “During this pandemic and continued economic crisis it is more important than ever to provide people with the accurate, up-to-date information they need to connect to resources to stay housed or to access safe, stable, affordable housing.”
Tenants and landlords can learn more about the new Tenant, Homeowner and Small Landlord Relief and Stabilization Act of 2020 by visiting www.COVID19.ca.gov or going directly to www.HousingIsKey.com.
Later this week, BCSH will also launch a mobile and web-based app, available on the website, to help landlords and tenants. It will include a personalized, downloadable report that explains what protections or obligations apply under the new law by answering a few questions. The campaign will include targeted social media ads and digital materials in multiple languages to be rolled out in the coming weeks.
Under the new law, no tenant can be evicted before Feb. 1, 2021, as a result of rent owed due to a COVID-19 related hardship accrued between March 4 and Aug. 31, 2020, if the tenant provides a declaration of hardship according to the legislation’s timelines.
For a COVID-19-related hardship that accrues between Sept. 1, 2020, to Jan. 31, 2021, tenants must also pay at least 25 percent of the rent due to avoid eviction after Feb. 1, 2021, for the unpaid rent.
Tenants are still responsible for paying unpaid amounts to landlords, but those unpaid amounts cannot be the basis for an eviction. Landlords may begin to recover this debt on March 1, 2021, and small claims court jurisdiction is temporarily expanded to allow landlords to recover these amounts. Landlords who do not follow the court evictions process will face increased penalties under the Act.
The legislation also extends anti-foreclosure protections in the Homeowner Bill of Rights to small landlords; provides new accountability and transparency provisions to protect small landlord borrowers who request CARES-compliant forbearance; and provides the borrower who is harmed by a material violation with a cause of action.
Additional resources are on the way for struggling homeowners and renters.
Gov. Newsom and the Legislature made available $331 million from the National Mortgage Settlement for housing counseling, mortgage assistance and renter legal aid services.
A housing counseling program administered by the California Housing Finance Agency will launch this fall and mortgage assistance will be available to help distressed households next year.
The $31 million for renter legal aid services will be distributed by the Judicial Council to qualified legal aid organizations in the coming months.
The campaign will be run by the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency, or BCSH, and kicks off with a new website and social media ads targeting vulnerable communities.
“Struggling tenants and landlords now have new protections and relief under the law – and it’s critical that all Californians learn their rights,” said Gov. Newsom. “It’s important that we reach renters across the state who might be one paycheck away from losing their homes and landlords who are short on their mortgages because of owed rent. Housing is Key will begin the public education campaign that will ramp up in the weeks to come and target vulnerable communities who have been hit the hardest by this pandemic.”
On Monday, Gov. Newsom signed AB 3088 to protect millions of tenants from eviction and property owners from foreclosure due to the economic impacts of COVID-19. These protections apply to tenants who declare an inability to pay all or part of the rent due to a COVID-related reason.
“Having a home is fundamental to all that we do,” said BCSH Secretary Lourdes Castro Ramírez. “During this pandemic and continued economic crisis it is more important than ever to provide people with the accurate, up-to-date information they need to connect to resources to stay housed or to access safe, stable, affordable housing.”
Tenants and landlords can learn more about the new Tenant, Homeowner and Small Landlord Relief and Stabilization Act of 2020 by visiting www.COVID19.ca.gov or going directly to www.HousingIsKey.com.
Later this week, BCSH will also launch a mobile and web-based app, available on the website, to help landlords and tenants. It will include a personalized, downloadable report that explains what protections or obligations apply under the new law by answering a few questions. The campaign will include targeted social media ads and digital materials in multiple languages to be rolled out in the coming weeks.
Under the new law, no tenant can be evicted before Feb. 1, 2021, as a result of rent owed due to a COVID-19 related hardship accrued between March 4 and Aug. 31, 2020, if the tenant provides a declaration of hardship according to the legislation’s timelines.
For a COVID-19-related hardship that accrues between Sept. 1, 2020, to Jan. 31, 2021, tenants must also pay at least 25 percent of the rent due to avoid eviction after Feb. 1, 2021, for the unpaid rent.
Tenants are still responsible for paying unpaid amounts to landlords, but those unpaid amounts cannot be the basis for an eviction. Landlords may begin to recover this debt on March 1, 2021, and small claims court jurisdiction is temporarily expanded to allow landlords to recover these amounts. Landlords who do not follow the court evictions process will face increased penalties under the Act.
The legislation also extends anti-foreclosure protections in the Homeowner Bill of Rights to small landlords; provides new accountability and transparency provisions to protect small landlord borrowers who request CARES-compliant forbearance; and provides the borrower who is harmed by a material violation with a cause of action.
Additional resources are on the way for struggling homeowners and renters.
Gov. Newsom and the Legislature made available $331 million from the National Mortgage Settlement for housing counseling, mortgage assistance and renter legal aid services.
A housing counseling program administered by the California Housing Finance Agency will launch this fall and mortgage assistance will be available to help distressed households next year.
The $31 million for renter legal aid services will be distributed by the Judicial Council to qualified legal aid organizations in the coming months.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A Clearlake woman died Tuesday morning after she was involved in a head-on crash on Highway 53 near Clearlake while trying to pass another vehicle.
The name of the 41-year-old woman has not yet been released by officials pending notification of family.
Two other drivers – husband and wife Jesus R. Valdes, 53, of Novato and Elisha Valdes, 49, of Clearlake Oaks, who were in separate cars – also were injured in the wreck, the California Highway Patrol’s Clear Lake Area office reported.
The CHP said that at 9:15 a.m. Tuesday, the Clearlake woman was driving her 2005 Mercedes ML350 northbound on Highway 53, north of Ogulin Canyon Road, at approximately 70 miles per hour.
The CHP said the Mercedes driver crossed a broken yellow center line, entering into the southbound lane, and was passing a large vehicle when she collided head-on with a 2016 Toyota Camry driven by Jesus Valdes, who was traveling southbound on Highway 53.
Elisha Valdes was following her husband in her 2015 Nissan Altima. The CHP said her vehicle collided with the driver's side of her husband’s Toyota.
All three vehicles sustained major damage due to the collision and were disabled in the roadway, causing Highway 53 to be closed for several hours in both directions, the CHP said.
The CHP said the Lake County Sheriff's Office, Caltrans, the Lake County Fire Protection District and Clearlake Police Department responded to the scene to assist.
The CHP said the driver of the Mercedes was not wearing her seat belt and died of her injuries at the scene.
Jesus Valdes suffered major injuries and was transported to Kaiser Permanente Vacaville Medical Center for treatment, while Elisha Valdes had minor injuries and was transported to Adventist Health Clear Lake, the CHP said. Both Jesus and Elisha Valdes were wearing their seat belts.
At this time, drugs or alcohol are not suspected to be a factor in this collision, the CHP said.
Email Elizabeth Larson atThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
The name of the 41-year-old woman has not yet been released by officials pending notification of family.
Two other drivers – husband and wife Jesus R. Valdes, 53, of Novato and Elisha Valdes, 49, of Clearlake Oaks, who were in separate cars – also were injured in the wreck, the California Highway Patrol’s Clear Lake Area office reported.
The CHP said that at 9:15 a.m. Tuesday, the Clearlake woman was driving her 2005 Mercedes ML350 northbound on Highway 53, north of Ogulin Canyon Road, at approximately 70 miles per hour.
The CHP said the Mercedes driver crossed a broken yellow center line, entering into the southbound lane, and was passing a large vehicle when she collided head-on with a 2016 Toyota Camry driven by Jesus Valdes, who was traveling southbound on Highway 53.
Elisha Valdes was following her husband in her 2015 Nissan Altima. The CHP said her vehicle collided with the driver's side of her husband’s Toyota.
All three vehicles sustained major damage due to the collision and were disabled in the roadway, causing Highway 53 to be closed for several hours in both directions, the CHP said.
The CHP said the Lake County Sheriff's Office, Caltrans, the Lake County Fire Protection District and Clearlake Police Department responded to the scene to assist.
The CHP said the driver of the Mercedes was not wearing her seat belt and died of her injuries at the scene.
Jesus Valdes suffered major injuries and was transported to Kaiser Permanente Vacaville Medical Center for treatment, while Elisha Valdes had minor injuries and was transported to Adventist Health Clear Lake, the CHP said. Both Jesus and Elisha Valdes were wearing their seat belts.
At this time, drugs or alcohol are not suspected to be a factor in this collision, the CHP said.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Firefighters spent Tuesday continuing to strengthen containment lines and hold the LNU Lightning Complex to no new acreage.
Cal Fire said the 375,209-acre complex, burning for more than two weeks, rose to 74-percent containment on Tuesday evening. Its acreage has remained unchanged since Monday.
Within the complex, the 317,909-acre Hennessey fire, which has burned across five counties – Colusa, Lake, Napa, Solano and Yolo – is up to 70 percent containment, according to Cal Fire’s Tuesday night report.
On the Sonoma County side of the complex, the 54,940-acre Walbridge fire west of Healdsburg is up to 70 percent containment, while on Tuesday firefighters fully contained the Meyers fire north of Jenner at 2,360 acres, Cal Fire reported.
Total personnel assigned on Tuesday night included 2,539 personnel, 237 engines, 55 water tenders, 19 helicopters, 46 hand crews and 58 dozers.
Cal Fire said crews on Tuesday worked to bolster containment lines and mop up the fire perimeter.
Firefighters were to continue active patrol overnight, taking advantage of cooler night-time temperatures to build additional containment lines. Cal Fire said dry conditions and hotter weather will continue throughout the week.
Fire suppression repair teams remain active throughout the area repairing damage caused by fire suppression activities, Cal Fire said.
Officials said the number of threatened structures on Tuesday was reduced to 3,375.
Continuing damage assessments led to Cal Fire updating the number of destroyed structures to 1,449 and the structures damaged to 227. Lake County’s total – nine structures destroyed – remained unchanged.
Improving conditions led to more repopulations of communities across the complex on Tuesday.
In Lake County, some evacuation orders on Tuesday were reduced to warnings and some warnings lifted in the south county.
Those remaining in effect as of Tuesday night included the following:
– Evacuation order: East of Middletown area, including east of Highway 29 and north of the Lake-Napa County line up to the intersection of Highway 29 and West Road, and south of Butts Canyon Road at Callayomi Road.
Evacuation warnings are as follows:
– North of Lower Lake area: Including north of Morgan Valley Road, east of the intersection of Morgan Valley Road and Sky High Ridge Road, south of Highway 20, west of the Lake/Colusa/Yolo County lines.
– South of the Lower Lake area: South of Morgan Valley Road, east of Chimney Rock/Canyon Road, north of Jerusalem Grade Road Extending to Lake/Napa County line, west of the Lake/Napa County line.
– Middletown area: East of Guenoc Winery Road, north of Butts Canyon Road, south of Grange Road, west of Lake/Napa County line.
– Middletown area: South of Butts Canyon Road to Cailayomi Road, east of St. Helena Creek Road, north of Highway 29, west of Cailayomi Road extending to Western Mine Road.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake City Council will consider another response to the grand jury report and continue a discussion on possible changes to commercial cannabis regulations this week.
The council will hold a closed session at 5 p.m. to discuss the proposed sale of city-owned property at 2185 Ogulin Canyon Road as well as negotiations for a property owned by One Shot Mining at 14885 Burns Valley Road before it holds its virtual public meeting beginning at 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 3.
Because of the county’s shelter in place order, Clearlake City Hall remains closed to the public, however, the virtual meeting will be broadcast live on the city's YouTube channel or the Lake County PEG TV YouTube Channel. Community members also can participate via Zoom.
The agenda can be found here.
Comments and questions can be submitted in writing for City Council consideration by sending them to Administrative Services Director/City Clerk Melissa Swanson atThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . You can also visit the city’s town hall site and submit written comments at https://www.opentownhall.com/portals/327/forum_home. Identify the subject you wish to comment on in your email’s subject line or in your town hall submission.
To give the council adequate time to review your questions and comments, please submit your written comments prior to 4 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 3.
Each public comment emailed to the city clerk will be read aloud by the mayor or a member of staff for up to three minutes or will be displayed on a screen. Public comment emails and town hall public comment submissions that are received after the beginning of the meeting will not be included in the record.
At the start of the meeting, the council will present a proclamation declaring September 2020 as Senior Center Month.
On the agenda includes an appeal of an abatement order for 15558 37th Ave. The property owner is appealing action taken after a Code Enforcement officer observed 20 marijuana plants being grown outdoors on the property, which exceeded the maximum of six plants and didn’t have a cultivation permit. The property previously was cited for marijuana cultivation in July 2018, according to city documents.
City Manager Alan Flora also will take to the council a proposed response to the Lake County Civil Grand Jury’s report on public safety power shutoffs, “PSPS – 5 Days in October.”
The grand jury required the city to respond, although, as the response notes, “The report almost exclusively focused on the various County department’s response to the last PSPS event in October. The City of Clearlake was not interviewed as part of the report so there is little detail on the City’s preparedness and/or response, therefore the City’s response to the report will be brief.”
The response agreed that more detailed planning is needed, and noted that it is underway.
Also on Thursday, the council will discuss and consider possible direction to staff regarding commercial cannabis permits.
Staff had taken the matter to the council on Aug. 25, asking if they wanted to consider increasing the maximum number of permittees due to continued demand for licenses and the success of the city’s existing cannabis businesses.
At the Aug. 25 meeting, council members requested additional information including a list of permittees, financial impacts of cannabis businesses, police calls for service at cannabis businesses and available areas of commercial zoning outside of cannabis areas. Staff is returning with more details in response to those requests.
On the meeting's consent agenda – items that are not considered controversial and are usually adopted on a single vote – are warrant registers; minutes of the July 16 meeting; consideration of continuation of declaration of local emergency issued on Oct. 9, 2017, and ratified by council action Oct. 12, 2017; consideration of continuation of declaration of local emergency issued on March 14, 2020, and ratified by council action March 19, 2020; a second reading and adoption of Ordinance No. 245-2020 amending Clearlake Municipal Code Chapter 2, Section 2-1.2 Increasing the Salary of City Council Members; a second reading and adoption of Ordinance No. 244-2020 amending the Clearlake Municipal Code relating to universal collection and authorizing administrative citations to collect unpaid; adoption of second amendment to the Fiscal Year 2020-21 Budget (Resolution 2020-27) appropriating funding for equipment and supplies, Resolution No. 2020-38; approval of the purchase of 2,040 lineal feet of used K-Rail concrete barrier for an amount not to exceed; approval of the purchase of a Bobcat Toolcat 5600 and five work implements; ratification of a letter of opposition to AB 6; amendment of a contract with Pavement Coatings Co. for an additional $13,657.60 and authorize the city manager to approve up to 10 percent for additional unforeseen contract amendments.
Email Elizabeth Larson atThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
The council will hold a closed session at 5 p.m. to discuss the proposed sale of city-owned property at 2185 Ogulin Canyon Road as well as negotiations for a property owned by One Shot Mining at 14885 Burns Valley Road before it holds its virtual public meeting beginning at 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 3.
Because of the county’s shelter in place order, Clearlake City Hall remains closed to the public, however, the virtual meeting will be broadcast live on the city's YouTube channel or the Lake County PEG TV YouTube Channel. Community members also can participate via Zoom.
The agenda can be found here.
Comments and questions can be submitted in writing for City Council consideration by sending them to Administrative Services Director/City Clerk Melissa Swanson at
To give the council adequate time to review your questions and comments, please submit your written comments prior to 4 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 3.
Each public comment emailed to the city clerk will be read aloud by the mayor or a member of staff for up to three minutes or will be displayed on a screen. Public comment emails and town hall public comment submissions that are received after the beginning of the meeting will not be included in the record.
At the start of the meeting, the council will present a proclamation declaring September 2020 as Senior Center Month.
On the agenda includes an appeal of an abatement order for 15558 37th Ave. The property owner is appealing action taken after a Code Enforcement officer observed 20 marijuana plants being grown outdoors on the property, which exceeded the maximum of six plants and didn’t have a cultivation permit. The property previously was cited for marijuana cultivation in July 2018, according to city documents.
City Manager Alan Flora also will take to the council a proposed response to the Lake County Civil Grand Jury’s report on public safety power shutoffs, “PSPS – 5 Days in October.”
The grand jury required the city to respond, although, as the response notes, “The report almost exclusively focused on the various County department’s response to the last PSPS event in October. The City of Clearlake was not interviewed as part of the report so there is little detail on the City’s preparedness and/or response, therefore the City’s response to the report will be brief.”
The response agreed that more detailed planning is needed, and noted that it is underway.
Also on Thursday, the council will discuss and consider possible direction to staff regarding commercial cannabis permits.
Staff had taken the matter to the council on Aug. 25, asking if they wanted to consider increasing the maximum number of permittees due to continued demand for licenses and the success of the city’s existing cannabis businesses.
At the Aug. 25 meeting, council members requested additional information including a list of permittees, financial impacts of cannabis businesses, police calls for service at cannabis businesses and available areas of commercial zoning outside of cannabis areas. Staff is returning with more details in response to those requests.
On the meeting's consent agenda – items that are not considered controversial and are usually adopted on a single vote – are warrant registers; minutes of the July 16 meeting; consideration of continuation of declaration of local emergency issued on Oct. 9, 2017, and ratified by council action Oct. 12, 2017; consideration of continuation of declaration of local emergency issued on March 14, 2020, and ratified by council action March 19, 2020; a second reading and adoption of Ordinance No. 245-2020 amending Clearlake Municipal Code Chapter 2, Section 2-1.2 Increasing the Salary of City Council Members; a second reading and adoption of Ordinance No. 244-2020 amending the Clearlake Municipal Code relating to universal collection and authorizing administrative citations to collect unpaid; adoption of second amendment to the Fiscal Year 2020-21 Budget (Resolution 2020-27) appropriating funding for equipment and supplies, Resolution No. 2020-38; approval of the purchase of 2,040 lineal feet of used K-Rail concrete barrier for an amount not to exceed; approval of the purchase of a Bobcat Toolcat 5600 and five work implements; ratification of a letter of opposition to AB 6; amendment of a contract with Pavement Coatings Co. for an additional $13,657.60 and authorize the city manager to approve up to 10 percent for additional unforeseen contract amendments.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
California Highway Patrol Commissioner Warren Stanley has spent nearly four decades advocating for highway safety in California.
His unwavering commitment to public service and dedication to CHP employees caught the attention of the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, or AAMVA, which on Tuesday rewarded his efforts with the AAMVA Lifetime Achievement Award in Highway Safety – Law Enforcement.
The award is presented annually to an AAMVA member whose primary function is directly associated with highway and traffic safety efforts and who has had a distinguished career in this arena.
“My entire career has been fueled by a passion for safety,” said Commissioner Stanley. “I am fortunate to be able to work alongside so many others who have demonstrated a lifelong commitment to reducing traffic fatalities and injuries on our roadways. This honor would not be possible without their dedication and shared vision.”
As a dedicated member of the law enforcement community, Commissioner Stanley has served the people of California for more than 37 years.
In 2018, Stanley became the first African American to hold the rank of CHP Commissioner. He is also one of the distinguished few to have held every uniformed position from officer to Commissioner within the CHP.
“This is hard work, but it is exceptionally important and incredibly rewarding,” added Commissioner Stanley.
Winners of this, and other awards, are traditionally recognized at AAMVA’s International Conference in August of every year. Due to COVID-19 and travel restrictions, AAMVA cancelled its 2020 conference. Previous recipients of the distinguished honor from AAMVA include former CHP Commissioners Dwight O. Helmick (2004) and Joe Farrow (2011).
The mission of the CHP is to provide the highest level of safety, service and security.
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – US Forest Service officials will hold a virtual meeting to update the community on the work to contain the August Complex on the Mendocino National Forest.
The meeting will take place at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 2.
It will be live-streamed on the Mendocino National Forest Facebook Page.
People also can join the meeting by phone at 888-844-9904, passcode 3096536#.
For general questions about the August Complex, people are invited to email the incident management team atThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 530-487-4602.
The meeting will take place at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 2.
It will be live-streamed on the Mendocino National Forest Facebook Page.
People also can join the meeting by phone at 888-844-9904, passcode 3096536#.
For general questions about the August Complex, people are invited to email the incident management team at