Op-Ed: Elk Grove To Reconsider Eviction Moratorium; Mayor Steve Ly Is Trying To Save The Council From Itself

On March 18, 2020, the Elk Grove City Council failed residential renters and small business tenants when it rejected a measure to halt evictions for those affected by the Coronavirus emergency. Sadly, there was little interest in saving businesses that are seeing drastic reductions in revenue; no discussion of the burden to renters that could not work due to illness or public health restriction; and no discussion of how the City expects to accommodate families that are pushed out of their homes through eviction. Instead, four councilmembers sided with the real estate representatives that heavily lobbied city officials.

Mayor Steve Ly was the only one to support the eviction moratorium. The remaining four councilmembers, Stephanie Nguyen, Darren Suen, Steve Detrick, and Patrick Hume, have collectively taken hundreds of thousands of dollars from landlords and real estate interests over the past few election cycles. It’s time that the residents and business owners in Elk Grove were heard.

Most Elk Grove residents were probably not aware of the Council meeting that was scheduled on short notice to address the impending eviction crisis. However, similar measures were passed without controversy in Sacramento, Stockton, and across the country. The Republicans on the City Council, Detrick and Hume, aggressively opposed protections for the people of Elk Grove. The corporate Democrats, Nguyen and Suen also fell in line, leaving Mayor Ly with the only vote in support of temporarily halting evictions.

Thankfully, Mayor Ly has refused to let the matter rest. He has calendared a second special meeting on March 23, 2020 at 5pm to reconsider the matter. The Council will have another opportunity to do what is right for Elk Grove renters and small business owners, but it won’t happen unless we stand up for each other and our neighbors.

There are three ways to make your voice heard:

1. Email your comments to the City Clerk, Jason Lindgren at jlindgren@elkgrovecity.org
2. Send a video or audio recording to the City Clerk at jlindgren@elkgrovecity.org
3. Leave a voicemail for the Council at 916-478-2286

Due to social distancing, we may not be able to leave our houses to join in a protest but we can make our voices heard with social media. Please share this opinion piece and ask your friends to join the fight.

Amar Shergill
Progressive Caucus Chair of the California Democratic Party
Elk Grove Father of Three