Lawmakers pass bill extending eviction moratorium in New York
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The New York State Senate and Assembly passed a bill Monday to extend the suspension of residential and commercial evictions through the end of August.
Posted: May 3, 2021 6:07 PM
Posted By: WKTV
ALBANY, N.Y. – The New York State Senate and Assembly passed a bill Monday to extend the suspension of residential and commercial evictions through the end of August.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed the COVID-19 Emergency Eviction and Foreclosure Prevention Act of 2020 in March to ensure no residents would be displaced during the coronavirus pandemic. The COVID-19 Emergency Protect Our Small Businesses Act of 2021 was then signed in January to protect small businesses also experiencing financial hardship.
ALBANY â Tenants, landlords and property owners months behind on rent or property taxes can start applying for billions of dollars of available relief at the end of the month, officials said, as the state Legislature voted Monday to extend the stateâs eviction moratorium four more months.
Until Monday, state executives did not release a time frame or other details as New York waits to distribute its total $2.4 billion in Emergency Rental Assistance Program COVID-19 rent relief for tenants, homeowners, small landlords and business owners. The state budgeted $100 million toward the fund.
Between 800,000 and 1.2 million households are behind in paying rent of the stateâs 4.1 million tenant households, lawmakers have said, citing statistics from state housing agencies.
New York State Team
State lawmakers passed a bill Monday to extend eviction protections for tenants affected by the COVID-19 pandemic amid growing calls for them to protect landlords from further income losses.
Both the COVID-19 Emergency Eviction and Foreclosure Prevention Act of 2020, touted as one of the strongest pieces of anti-eviction legislation in the nation, and the COVID-19 Emergency Protect Our Small Businesses Act of 2021, meant to provide eviction and foreclosure protection for small businesses, went into effect in late Dec. 2020 and expired on May 1, 2021.
The Legislature voted Monday afternoon to extend the programs until Aug. 31, 2021. An unofficial tally showed the Senate passed the bill, 42 to 21, and the Assembly later passed it, 91 to 57.
New York State Team
Update: Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed the bill into law on Tuesday, including the measure extending the eviction moratorium to Aug. 31.
State lawmakers passed a bill Monday to extend eviction protections for tenants affected by the COVID-19 pandemic amid growing calls for them to protect landlords from further income losses.
Both the COVID-19 Emergency Eviction and Foreclosure Prevention Act of 2020, touted as one of the strongest pieces of anti-eviction legislation in the nation, and the COVID-19 Emergency Protect Our Small Businesses Act of 2021, meant to provide eviction and foreclosure protection for small businesses, went into effect in late Dec. 2020 and expired on May 1, 2021.
Certain residential and commercial tenants can now avoid eviction until at least Aug. 31.
The state Senate and Assembly on Monday approved a measure that retroactively extends two recently expired laws that restrict evictions of residential and commercial tenants, as well as foreclosures on small landlords and businesses. Those seeking such protections must fill out hardship declaration forms, but do not have to submit proof that they are unable to pay.
The bill extends two state laws that expired May 1: the Emergency Eviction and Foreclosure Prevention Act of 2020 and the Covid-19 Emergency Protect Our Small Businesses Act of 2021.
New York’s fiscal year 2022 budget, approved last month, created the framework for disbursing $2.4 billion in federal rent relief. That program will be administered by the state’s Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, which has not yet released applications for tenants and landlords to participate.