A South Bay agency claims landlords are rising rents now that the pandemic has turned the corner.
Rent restrictions required landlords to keep rents stable during the height of COVID, but Sacred Heart Community Services said more people are now coming in for help with their monthly payments because landlords just raised it. The rising costs are one of the issues a local lawmaker is looking to address by strengthening renters' rights.
"We're seeing a record number of evictions that are happening right now," Sacred Heart Community Services CEO Poncho Guevara said. "Things slowed a little bit during the pandemic because of legal protections that were put in place during that time. But we're actually seeing a lot of people being displaced."
Sacred Heart Community Services said it is seeing a lot more traffic lately, especially people looking for rental assistance because the landlord either raised their rent or evicted them.
Get a weekly recap of the latest San Francisco Bay Area housing news. Sign up for NBC Bay Area’s Housing Deconstructed newsletter.
Hugo Garcia is one of the renters who sought help from Sacred Heart Community Services. Garcia said he had to cut back on groceries to afford his rent and came to the agency for a food box.
State Assemblyman Alex Lee from San Jose said his landlord just raised his rent by 10%.
"Even with our rental protections in the state, our rental properties can still do a lease-by-lease increase of a maximum of 10%," Lee said.
Lee in response co-founded the Renters Caucus in the State Assembly made up of four assembly members who rent. The group will form a legislative coalition to protect and enhance renters' rights," he said.
Lee also said renters' rights is lacking at the state capitol.
"Well it's a very huge concern," he said. "Especially now that we're phasing out the emergency rental assistance program for people who are behind on their rent, who have a lot of debt, who are at risk of losing their homes and becoming homeless. It's a big concern."
