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A baffled Ben Franklin (created by GD) surrounded by dense heartless HB councilmembers Posey, Peterson and Semeta.
by John Earl, 4-21-2020, cross-posted from Surf City Voice
Why isn’t the Huntington Beach City Council helping renters during the pandemic caused by COVID-19, which has infected almost 800,000 people across the nation (including over 42,000 deaths) and 34,000 people in California (148 in Huntington Beach), causing 22 million workers to lose their jobs in the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression—with no end in sight?
Instead of trying to help, the Council’s five-member majority turned its back on the city’s struggling renters at its March 31 special COVID-19 response meeting.
Members Mike Posey, Erik Peterson, Lyn Semeta, Barbara Delgleize, and Patrick Brenden voted down an ordinance proposed by City Manager Oliver Chi to protect residential and commercial renters for 120 days from evictions caused by failure to pay rent due to the coronavirus (Jill Hardy and Kimberly Carr voted yes).
Chi’s proposed ordinance provided the enforcement mechanism that Governor Gavin Newsom’s shorter 60-day eviction moratorium (Executive Order N-37-20) left for local governments to figure out, according to City Attorney Michael Gates. It included fines up to $1,000 for non-compliance by landlords and tenants involved in residential and commercial leases.
City Manager Oliver Chi
Chi did what city managers are supposed to do: look out for the well being of the city’s residents. Considering Surf City’s average apartment rent of $2,211, and the economic catastrophe caused by the COVID-19 virus, he was being prudent and prophetic.
When the council met, 10 million people had filed unemployment claims nationwide. By April 11, 16.6 million workers had filed. By April 17, 22 million claims were filed nationwide including 2.7 million in California in the past four weeks. And those numbers will be much higher at the end of April.
As of April 7, 31% of renters around the country were unable to pay their rent and many other California cities were racing ahead of Surf City to help: 40 had passed eviction moratoriums and another 50 were considering it. At this writing (April 21), 18 California counties (not including Orange County) and 128 cities, including 7 in Orange County, have passed eviction moratoriums, many of them for residential and commercial tenants.
The Judicial Council of California, which governs the state’s court system, took much stronger action that stops evictions and housing foreclosures on paper but leaves it to plaintiffs to hire their own attorney for enforcement.
If over a quarter of California’s cities and the vast majority of its population are covered by eviction moratoriums, what’s stopping Huntington Beach from doing its part?…
There is much more to this story – read the rest at Surf City Voice – support local journamalism!
OJB readers should DEFINITELY click for the rest of this story!
Semeta is just a fraud. She was front and center at Rohrabacher’s campaign rallies.
When I first met Peterson he seemed like a new, honest kind of Republican. He saw right through Poseidon, and angered his own Party bosses opposing both Poseidon and development. He endorsed the controversial Democrat Gina Clayton Tarvin because he knew she was doing a good job for the students in her district. He put Victor Valladares on some board, until he was so embarrassed by Victor’s Trump pinata that Victor resigned.
But I haven’t been following him too closely lately. I’ve occasionally seen his Party, and half-baked “conservative” philosophy, pull him into some fucked up positions. Trump kind of ruined the possibility of anyone being a decent Republican lately.
*”Get tough or die!” We remember that movie! You know what is so funny…is that when HB “Surf City” opens up those beaches…..those inlanders come runnin. Everyone from
San Berdo, Riverside, Corona, Pomona and Whittier come running down to the HB Pier area. So, your chances on contacting the Corona Virus-19 increase dramatically. But then if you believe you can put Lysol down your kids throat to keep them from getting the Covid-19 Virus…..well, there isn’t much anyone can do for you….except watch in horror! Not wishing anyone harm mind you, We hope everyone can stay out long enough to third degree sunburns that will keep them sequestered at home for a week. But then, we have no way of knowing what will happen to those inlander pink bodies, or how much cocoa butter they will put on themselves. If they use Sunblock…..all of us conspiracy nuts thinks that causes cancer too! Ah, what to do? No Taco joints or Burger Joints to visit. You wind up sitting in line with 100 cars for McDonalds or Taco Bell……ah…..bah humbug on the whole deal.
The Huntington Beach City Council is doi g all tbey csn to support community spread of COVID-19 virus. Go ahead…keep the beaches open so we can see the numbers increase.Your ethics are now in question. You will be out in the next election.
And apparently Newport Beach did too. (Or at least they didn’t snowplow the people away.)
This is the most Florida thing I can remember ever happening in OC. Beyond stupid.
*People can make mistakes….they say. Our problem with re-opening the beaches are simply this: Who will it benefit? The local residents get exposed to serious Corona Virus-19 possibilities. The First Responders, Lifeguards, Police and Fire people really do. All the restaurants are closed and the surf shops…so who is going to make any money on the tourist trade? Gas Stations and a few Fast Food restaurants? Just curious City Councils of HB and NB? Meanwhile,you don’t look like real team players with the Governor or State Officials…and of course other Communities are really going to be upset. So…..probably time to roll back those Stay Off Our Beaches for a few more weeks and make yourselves look thoughtful and caring. Or you can double down and get voted out in the next election or recalled. Your choice!