Larry Klein
Mayor
Linda Sell
Vice Mayor
Alysa Cisneros
Councilmember
Richard Mehlinger
Councilmember
Murali Srinivasan
Councilmember
Charlsie Chang
Councilmember
Eileen Le
Councilmember
June 4, 2025
T
he Honorable Aisha Wahab
California State Senate
1021 O Street, Suite 8530
Sacramento, CA 95814
R
E: SB 436 (Wahab): Keeping Californians Housed Act – SUPPORT D
ear Senator Dr. Wahab:
O
n behalf of the City of Sunnyvale, we want to express our support of SB 436, which will prevent the displacement and homelessness of a tenant during an eviction process if they are able to pay the rent due even after the eviction process has begun. This critical measure will help prevent unnecessary displacement and homelessness. 68%
of Californians believe that housing affordability is a major problem in the state, and 63% believe that homelessness is a major problem. SB 436 will benefit landlords as much as it does tenants. Both the tenant’s interest in staying housed and the landlord’s interest in collecting rent align with the public’s interest in reducing homelessness.
C
alifornia tenants receive only three days’ notice to pay overdue rent before a landlord may initiate eviction proceedings in court. Under current law, once the three -day notice expires, a renter can be evicted even if they are able to pay all the rent due before the court process is complete. This short timeline disproportionately impacts low -income families, many of whom need additional time to obtain emergency rental assistance, family support, or wages. Nonpayment of rent is the leading cause of eviction, and for many Californians, a single financial emergency can mean losing their home. Rental assistance funds are frequently left unused because the existing notice requirement does not give enough time for rental assistance providers to intervene.
S
B 436 aligns California with twenty- one other states by allowing renters to pay back rent after the eviction lawsuit has started, preserving tenancies, and reducing homelessness. The bill also reduces unnecessary evictions by requiring landlords to provide necessary information to rental assistance providers and requiring courts to dismiss nonpayment cases where rental assistance will cover the entire amount due. This Attachment 7
The Honorable Aisha Wahab, State Senate
June 4, 2025
policy intervention is crucial to maximizing the efficiency of emergency rental assistance. Expanding the window of time during which an infusion of rent can rescue a tenancy will mean fewer evictions are necessary and landlords will receive rent that would otherwise go uncollected.
As identified in General Plan Policy H-5.4 and H-5.7, City policy supports the provision of emergency rental assistance and the prevention of involuntary displacement of tenants.
This bill helps tenants remain in their homes throughout an eviction proceeding and provides more time for the tenant to access emergency rental assistance. This approach will help reduce homelessness while still allowing property owners to collect the rent that they are owed.
For these reasons, we support SB 436. Thank you for consideration of our position.
Please do not hesitate to contact me or Trudi Ryan, Director of Community Development, at [email protected], if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Larry Klein
Mayor
cc: Assembly Member Patrick Ahrens
City Council
Tim Kirby, City Manager
Sarah Johnson-Rios, Assistant City Manager
Trudi Ryan, Director of Community Development
Attachment 7