California Senate Bill No. 939: Banning Commercial Evictions and Grant Lease Termination Rights During State of Emergency

On May 13, 2020, proposed California Senate Bill No. 939 was amended to not only prohibit landlords from evicting commercial tenants during the pendency of the COVID-19 state of emergency, but to extend protections to certain qualifying tenants permitting express rent reduction negotiation rights and lease termination rights. In “Proposed California Bill Would Ban Commercial Evictions During the State of Emergency and Grant Lease Termination Rights to Qualifying Tenants,” special counsel Carmela D. Nicholas explores how California Senate Bill 939 goes beyond the COVID-19 eviction moratorium imposed in most cities and counties across the state.