State leaders say it’s time to halt evictions for Section 8 tenants who are seeking emergency rental assistance.
Attorney General Letitia James, who recently announced her bid for governor, said evictions should be stopped during the process and late payment fees during the public health emergency eliminated.
She joined 18 other attorneys general from around the U.S. calling for stronger federal protections for low-income tenants seeking aid.
“As our communities continue to face threats of eviction due to the financial hardships brought by COVID-19, HUD can and must expand protections for vulnerable tenants,” James said. “The removal of hardworking families from their homes is devastating at any point, but especially during a global pandemic that puts their lives and livelihoods at risk. I will continue to work with my colleagues in government to ensure that tenants throughout New York and across the country have the resources they need to keep a roof over their heads during this difficult time, as well as during other challenging circumstances they may face in the future.”
At the moment, landlords are required to provide 30-days notice prior to the eviction proceedings. The goal of the push is to expand that out further.
The group is also seeking a requirement that landlords do not seek financial judgments against tenants who have filed for emergency rental assistance. This would mean that if a person is evicted, the landlord could not permanently impact the tenants credit standing.
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