Overview
- The Board of Supervisors approved the emergency 4–1, with sponsors Lindsey Horvath and Janice Hahn citing a countywide climate of fear and economic disruption and Kathryn Barger dissenting.
- The proclamation allows the county to mobilize rent assistance through an online application system expected within about two months and to seek state funding for legal aid, but it does not enact an eviction moratorium.
- ICE criticized the move in unusually sharp terms, while federal figures indicate roughly 5,000 arrests since June at workplaces and public locations across the region.
- County counsel and landlord groups warned of likely litigation and potential financial fallout, pointing to COVID‑era rent disputes and risks tied to deferred payments and tenant eligibility rules.
- The emergency remains in effect until the board votes to end it, and county officials say program details, eligibility criteria, and total funding levels will be finalized in the coming weeks.