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Small Businesses Can’t Be Evicted… For Now

For businesses hurt by COVID-19 shutdowns, SF is here to help.
By - posted 3/17/2020 No Comment

Mayor London Breed Announces A Moratorium On Commercial Evictions For Small And Medium-Size Businesses In San Francisco

Following Governor Newsom’s Executive Order yesterday, San Francisco will put a moratorium on commercial evictions for small businesses that are unable to pay rent as a result of coronavirus impacts

On March 17, 2020 Mayor London N. Breed announced a moratorium on commercial evictions for small and medium-sized businesses related to financial impacts caused by COVID-19. The moratorium will prevent any small to medium-sized business from being evicted due to a loss of income related to lost revenue or other economic impacts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
SF’s Small Business Eviction Moratorium

  • SF bans commercial evictions for small & medium businesses
  • Applies to businesses with $25 million or less in annual sales
  • Moratorium lasts for 30 days starting 3/17/20, but can be extended

Under normal state law, localities are prohibited from regulating commercial evictions. San Francisco is allowed to take this action following Governor Gavin Newsom’s Executive Order that was signed yesterday, and Mayor Breed issued this moratorium under the powers of the Local Emergency she declared on February 25th.

The small and medium-sized business eviction moratorium will be in effect for 30 days, and can be extended by the Mayor for another 30 days through an Executive Order. If the Local Emergency declared by the Mayor is rescinded at any point, the moratorium will cease to be in effect.

This commercial eviction moratorium will apply to businesses with a license to operate in San Francisco that have less than $25 million in annual gross receipts. This follows a moratorium on residential evictions that Mayor Breed announced on March 13th.

“The steps we have taken to protect public health are absolutely necessary, but we know that they are having a huge impact on our workers and our businesses,” said Mayor Breed. “Now that the Governor has waived laws allowing us to prevent commercial evictions, we are taking action to make sure that our small businesses are not displaced as a result of the economic impact caused by coronavirus. We will continue to push for more immediate state and federal support in addition to the programs we’ve introduced locally, because this pandemic is having major widespread economic impacts on almost every business and resident in our city.”