POWAY CITY COUNCIL APPROVES COMMERCIAL EVICTION MORATORIUM, OPEN SPACE ACQUSITION, AND LOANS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES

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By Miriam Raftery

April 8, 2020 (Poway) – “We looked different, but got things done as usual,” Poway Mayor Steve Vaus posted on Facebook, with a masked photo, following last night’s city council meeting. The Council met in Council chambers, but without an audience. To comply with social distancing requirements, the public could watch live online, call in or send comments in ahead of time.

By a unanimous vote, the Council approved a moratorium on commercial evictions due to COVID-19 impacts until May 31, provided the commercial tenant notifies the landlord promptly. The documentation may be as simple as a statement signed under penalty of perjury stating that the tenant has suffered financial hardship due to the COVID-19 emergency. Tenants would still owe the rent after May 31, unless they negotiate long-term repayment or other arrangements with their landlord.

Mayor Vaus, who proposed the eviction moratorium, noted that the federal and state governments have protected landlords from foreclosures by most mortgage companies during the COVID-19 shut-down. View details

The Council also voted unanimously to ask staff to come back with recommendations for the city of Poway to create a loan program for small businesses, at the request of Vaus. Details of the Poway Emergency Assistance Recovery Loans Program (PEARL) have yet to be worked out.  View details on the PEARL program at this link, along with a list of other loan programs already available for small businesses during the COVID-19 crisis.

In addition, Poway Council members voted unanimously to authorize spending $470,560 to acquire 80 acres on Twin Peaks Mountain as open space.  View details.

The Mayor’s photo, complete with red bandana and cowboy hat, prompted amused comments from constituents on Facebook:

Gina Roberts The Masked Mayor of Poway!

Lee Smith Yeehaaa, Which way did they go!!!

Marty Kamery The look when it's......locked and loaded.....

View the complete agenda from the April 7, 2020 meeting: file:///C:/Users/Owner/Downloads/2020%2004-07%20Agenda.pdf

View full agenda packet with documents for all agenda items at http://docs.poway.org/WebLink/Browse.aspx?id=147657&dbid=0&repo=CityofPoway


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