Job layoffs spur housing struggles in state even as evictions remain on hold

David Barroso Jr., a resident of Torrance in south Los Angeles County, was already falling behind on rent when he was laid off in March 2020. Ten months later, in late January, he estimated his debts had grown to about $17,000, and he had received a 15-day notice from his landlord to be evicted at the start of February. When California’s eviction moratorium was extended through June, he was able to stay in his home after paying 25% of the month’s rent.

But unable to afford a car, Barroso struggled to find a new job. He passed up two offers, both of which required him to drive to receive in-person training for the first month. He’s also faced delays on his unemployment payments from the state’s Employment Development Department (EDD), and an attempted credit card fraud left his bank account frozen for months. At one point, Barroso only had $7.