Coronavirus effect: New York State banned from evicting tenants from housing

New York State has introduced an indefinite moratorium on evictions. This is done in order to curb the outbreak of a new coronavirus, causing global chaos. This publication writes Commercial observer.

On Sunday, March 15, the Office of Court Administration circulated a memo to suspend all non-essential judicial functions until further notice. The message entered into force on Monday, March 16, at 17:00.

This includes all court cases of evictions not only from residential premises, but also from commercial ones. The court will continue to consider important issues related to housing, such as lockouts and urgent violations of the code.

The memo does not indicate a ban on foreclosure. However, according to a spokesperson for the Judicial Administration, such treatment is considered a secondary function and therefore will also be suspended.

State Governor Andrew Cuomo announced a moratorium at a press conference on Sunday, March 15. The move follows a week-long eviction moratorium announced by New York City last week and a promise by a coalition of landowners to suspend evictions for 90 days.

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States, counties, and cities across the country introduce similar moratoria. So, since Monday, North Carolina has suspended both evictions and foreclosures. The mayors of Newark, Philadelphia, Miami and Seattle have suspended evictions; evictions are also prohibited in Nassau County. Also, some media reported that similar restrictions plan to introduce in California, as well as in the city of Los Angeles.

Last week, New York State Senators Brad Hoyleman and Brian Cavanaugh enacted legislation to stop the eviction and alienation of residential and commercial premises in New York. In addition, activist groups such as Legal Aid Society and Housing Justice For All also insisted on such a move.

According to a representative of the aforementioned organization, the eviction moratorium does not suspend any rental obligations for tenants of residential and commercial premises. The state’s judicial administration is considering whether landlords will be able to claim rents after the moratorium is lifted, according to a spokeswoman.

Other courts also suspend their activities, the source said. It is noted that the Federal Court in Manhattan and many judges have suspended ongoing trials or, if possible, switched to teleconferences.