Special South Lake Tahoe meeting to address emergency housing, evictions and vacation homes

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The South Lake Tahoe City Council is holding a special meeting on Wednesday, March 25 to discuss three topics related to community needs surrounding the current coronavirus pandemic.

The meeting starts at 1:00 p.m. and remote attendance instructions are available below.

They will discuss and possibly vote on leasing the South Lake Tahoe Recreation Center to the Tahoe Coalition for the Homeless due to increased need for their services. The seasonal building that currently houses them was equipped for 24 nightly guests with one restroom, no showers and is presenting a challenge for socially distancing. They have moved to 24/7 operations and have seen their occupancy maxed out at almost double the planned guests.

The coalition has also reached out to local motel owners who are not renting to the public at this time.

If the Council approves the lease they still need approval from El Dorado County since the property the recreation center is located is on the 56-acre site where some of the property is owned by the City but the majority is owned by the County. Their current agreement says only public park, recreation, cultural and visitor information purposes operated by the City of South Lake Tahoe will take place.

The second item on the agenda concerns a moratorium on commercial evictions.
During their March 20 meeting, City Council ratified an emergency order which placed a temporary moratorium on residential evictions based on failure to pay rent because of COVID-19 job and income loss.

Should the City Council desire to enact a moratorium on commercial evictions, City Council is requested to direct the Director of Emergency Services to draft such an order, to include the following provisions:
- A limited duration that extends to no later than May 31, 2020.
- A requirement that the tenant document the inability to pay rent is due to COVID-19 or a government response to COVID-19.
- A requirement that the tenant notify the landlord before rent is due that the tenant is unable to pay rent, or a portion of rent, for these reasons.
- A statement that the moratorium does not relieve the tenant of liability for unpaid rent, which the landlord may seek within a certain time period.
- Any other procedural requirements that the Director of Emergency Services, in consultation with the City Attorney, deems necessary

The third item on the agenda is to temporarily cease all short-term lodging in South Lake Tahoe. If approved, an order would be issued to temporarily prohibit lodging of people engaging in non-essential travel to South Lake Tahoe.

On Monday, the City put out a notice asking tourists not to visit at this time and asking short-term rentals to not rent. The language was an "ask" where this order would be just that, an order.

Orders to "stay and home" and "shelter in place" have had many interpretations from the state-level on down. This order would give everyone directions. ” The
City has been in coordination with the County on this issue, and the County has indicated its intention to issue a clarification to its Shelter in Place Directive regarding the use of lodging facilities.

Remote public participation is allowed on the agenda items and items not on the agenda in the following ways:

City Council meetings are live-streamed on Channel 21 and on the City’s website at www.cityofslt.us.

Public comment will be accepted by email with the subject line PUBLIC COMMENT ITEM to sblankenship@cityofslt.us during the meeting, prior to the close of public comment on an item, and read into the record during public comment.

Public comment may be submitted by telephone during the meeting, prior to the close of public comment on an item, by calling (530) 318-1461 at the time indicated by the Mayor.

Alternately, the public may send an email with the subject line TELEPHONE PUBLIC COMMENT ITEM to the City Clerk and include your telephone number and she will call
you during public comment.