To help community members suffering financial hardships due to COVID-19, the Goleta City Council approved an urgency ordinance Tuesday prohibiting evictions and foreclosures and deferring business license payments.
The urgency order also lengthens the repayment period for residential tenancies from six months to 12 months, according to a press release sent to KSBY.
"It also prevents landlords from imposing penalties, interest and late fees to deferred rental payments on both residential and commercial evictions," said Kelly Hoover, the public information officer for the city of Goleta.
The ordinance also prohibits a mortgagee from foreclosing upon a mortgagor who cannot make a mortgage payment due to loss of income from COVID-19. It also sets the parameters of repayment to be six months after the local emergency is over, city officials said.
The city council also approved the deferral of business license fees until 60 days after the local emergency has been lifted, said the press release.
“The city wants to do what we can, where we can, to help residents and businesses who due to circumstances beyond their control have been dealt a devastating financial blow," said Mayor Paula Perotte.
