California officials announced Sept. 27 new eviction protections for tenants who did not paid their rent during the pandemic until March 31, 2022. As California’s eviction moratorium comes to a close on Sept. 30, the new eviction protections that go into effect Oct. 1 will allow tenants who apply for the state’s COVID-19 Rent Relief program to avoid eviction. “After September 30 for renters to protect themselves from eviction, they have to apply for rent relief because then a court will not take up their evictions until the decision is made on the applications [about whether the tenant qualifies for rent relief],” Russ Heimerich, a spokesperson for the Department of Housing and Community Development, told The Epoch Times. Tenants who show COVID-19 related financial hardships or are below 80 percent of area median income can apply for rent relief. “If you have a COVID-19 financial hardship and you qualify for removal relief …