The approval took place during the April 28 regular meeting and supports Travis County Judge Sarah Eckhardt’s issuance of a proclamation prohibiting notices to vacate from property owners to tenants lasting until May 8.
According the county’s proclamation, the order can only be overridden in cases “where the actions of the tenant, or the tenant's household members or guests, pose an imminent threat of physical harm to the property owner, the property owner's employees, or other tenants, including other tenants within the household, including criminal activity.”
Council Member Jon Cobb said while he completely supports Bee Cave business owners, commercial property owners are business owners too.
"My thought is, what about those people?" Cobb said.
Mayor Kara King said hopefully these deferments will only last a couple of months, and it is important for city officials to voice their support for Bee Cave's small businesses by backing the county resolution.
King also delivered a hypothetical situation, stating even if a business gets evicted, there is likely not going to be another tenant to take over the rent.
Cobb replied the situation is more complicated than that, and through the Small Business Administration the federal government has so far allocated hundreds of billions of dollars to small businesses, but those safety nets do not appear to be coming to fruition as rapidly for, as one example, commercial property owners.
"I just philosophically have a problem with it," Cobb said. "It's nothing personal."
King said anecdotally she has heard many local businesses have not actually received federal assistance and asserted a little bit of grace and support can go a long way.
"Sometimes people need that reassurance right now to sleep at night a little bit better," King said.
The vote passed 3-2, with Cobb and Council Member Andrew Clark voting no.
