CITY of Westminster Civic Center (OC Tribune photo).

An urgency ordinance extending a temporary moratorium on commercial evictions was approved by the Westminster City Council on Wednesday night.

As adopted by the council, the new ordinance follows an earlier action that expires on Feb. 28. The new ordinance encourages landlords and tenants to come to a mutually agreeable arrangement as to the payment of past-due rent, and provides that if an agreement cannot be reached, the tenant will be allowed 12 months to repay past due accounts.

Additionally, the new law states that the tenant is obligated to start making minimum payments to the landlord starting on March 1. The details of payment are that the tenant must begin to pay their current monthly rate in full, and to continue to do so.

The tenant must also pay, at a minimum, 1/12th of the amount that was due as of March 1.  Those payments must continue until all of the past-due payments are paid in full.