Dodd to hold virtual town hall on housing, COVID-19
(California State Senator Bill Dodd speaks at an event in 2019. File photo by Matthew Keys/Solano NewsNet)
California State Senator Bill Dodd will participate in a virtual town hall on the topic of COVID-19 an housing next week.
The town hall, produced in partnership with Santa Rosa radio station KSVY (91.3 FM), will take place nearly two weeks after lawmakers passed key legislation that extended an eviction moratorium for tenants to offset the economic effects of the ongoing coronavirus health pandemic. Lawmakers previously passed an eviction moratorium at the start of the pandemic last year.
“With the economy reeling and so many people out of work, it is absolutely essential that we help people struggling to keep a roof over their heads,” Dodd said in a statement last week. “Extending the eviction moratorium is a commonsense measure to support tenants and landlords. It is one of the key steps we are taking to ensure California’s economic recovery as we beat this pandemic.”
In addition to the eviction moratorium, California lawmakers pushed through the Tenant Relief Act, which offers up to $2.6 billion in federal stimulus money to help individuals in the state catch up with unpaid rent. The money is prioritized for low-income and unemployed residents. It provides relief for up to one year of unpaid rent and several months of future rent.
Dodd is expected to discuss these initiatives and others during the town hall meeting. Other participants include:
Jason Elliott, a senior counselor to Governor Gavin Newsom on the issues of housing and homelessness,
Lori Nezhura with the California Office of Emergency Services, and
Lourdes Castro Ramírez, the secretary of the California Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency.
The virtual town hall takes place Tuesday, February 9 at 6 p.m. and will be streamed live on Senator Dodd’s website and Facebook page.
Dodd represents California’s 3rd Senate District, which includes all of Solano and Napa counties and portions of Contra Costa, Sacramento, Sonoma and Yolo counties.
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