RENTAL RULES IN CONTRA COSTA COUNTY & ALAMEDA COUNTY

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
One of the largest counties in the Bay Area, Contra Costa County is home to about 1.2 million people as of 2019. If you’re a tenant in Contra Costa County, keep reading to learn more about your rights as a renter. Landlords, there are some updates for you too! If you need more information, I am here if you have questions, and you can also reference this page on the Contra Costa County website for more detail.  

For Tenants
It’s important that you take the steps necessary to protect yourself as a renter – this could keep you from having to move out after receiving an eviction notice. You have 5 business days after receiving an eviction “Complaint” to file an “Answer.” If you do not do this or do not do this in a timely manner, you will likely lose the case and have to move out. You can still file an “Answer” after the deadline, but try to stay within the 5-day timeline or do it very soon after. Learn more about the “Answer” form on the Contra Costa Court website.  

For Landlords
Before filing an eviction case, you might still be required to apply for rent money if your tenant was exempt from paying rent during the pandemic. This could give you back 100% of the unpaid rent or rent for a few upcoming months as well. State law also requires landlords to give a tenant 3 days’ notice to provide a solution to a breach of the lease agreement.  

ALAMEDA COUNTY
As the second-largest county in the Bay Area, as of 2019, Alameda County is home to about 1.6 million people. Similar to Contra Costa County, Alameda County provided some flexibility in rent payment and rules during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. As COVID restrictions ease up, rental rules and regulations are also updating. Tenants and landlords in Alameda County, read on! 

For Tenants
If you had financial distress due to the COVID-19 pandemic which kept you from being able to pay a portion or all of your rent, remember that unpaid rent between March 1, 2020, and September 30, 2021, has to be paid back by May 31, 2023. For specifics about how much you’ll owe depending on when you declared “financial distress,” learn more at the Alameda County website.  

For Landlords
As a landlord, you aren’t able to start or win an eviction case for nonpayment of rent before April 1, 2022, but you can do so if the rental assistance application is denied or behind due to lack of action from the tenant. Tenants do have rights to rent assistance, but they have to apply for it. 

FINAL THOUGHTS
Whether you are a tenant renting a living space or a landlord, it’s important to stay informed on rules, regulations and rights regarding rent payments and eviction as they are updated. Remember the important dates and reach out to local resources if you have any questions (here’s one for Contra Costa County and Alameda County).  

As a top producing agent with 20+ years of experience in the East Bay, I have helped hundreds of clients showcase and maximize the sale of their homes in the Greater San Francisco Bay Area and the counties of Alameda and Contra Costa, and my experience as a former appraiser allows me to help my clients understand the market. If you have any questions, I am here to be a resource for you.