In March, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo instituted a moratorium on evictions throughout the state, preventing landlords from evicting tenants from their homes during the coronavirus crisis. The moratorium was originally slated to end in June but has since been extended to August 20. However, that does not mean landlords cannot get a head start, and the courts are already accepting applications to commence evictions once the moratorium lapses.
The coronavirus pandemic is the single greatest public health crisis to have faced the United States in over a century, causing not only extraordinary harm to infected individuals, but negatively impacting the economy as well. As a result, millions of Americans, including many New Yorkers, have been put out of work or had their businesses close. To alleviate some of that economic strain, Governor Cuomo instituted the moratorium on evictions, to ensure people would not be forced onto the streets while the quarantine was in effect.
However, while renters were given relief in the form of the rent moratorium, landlords were not so fortunate, and many landlords have had to deal with tenants refusing to pay rent even when they were not suffering economic hardship. Without the ability to evict these tenants, landlords have simply needed to accept that they were not going to get their rent from these delinquent tenants. This has caused substantial economic hardship for landlords, who still must pay for property taxes, maintenance, staff, and other costs associated with ownership of the property.
However, the moratorium is temporary, and landlord-tenant courts are already accepting applications for evictions once the moratorium expires. Essentially, they are creating a queue that will begin to move forward starting once the moratorium ends, with cases addressed in the order that the application was received. Thus, if a landlord wishes to evict a tenant after the moratorium ends, they should get in their applications for evictions as soon as possible.
The business law attorneys at Blodnick, Fazio & Clark are ready to assist you in your landlord-tenant dispute. With offices conveniently located in Garden City, Nassau County, and Babylon, Suffolk County, the firm provides high-quality legal care at reasonable prices. If you require legal assistance concerning evictions, rent disputes or other landlord-tenant issues, call (516) 280-7105 or fill out our contact form for a free consultation.
