A recent extension to a statewide eviction moratorium may add more confusion to the challenges of rental housing during the Covid 19 pandemic, and may cause confusion in other parts of the country should similar actions be widely adopted. Adam Almeida, President and CEO of TenantScreeningUSA.com opines: “Across the country the rental housing crisis brought on by the Covid 19 pandemic continues unabated, and legislators are looking for ways to ease the burden through new laws and policies; subsequently, working with a well-qualified third-party tenant screening agency remains a best practice to remain ahead of potential change.”
New York Governor Cuomo has enacted an extension of an eviction moratorium, one designed to further protect those renters adversely affected by the Covid 19 pandemic, yet may create more confusion due to the complexity of the order. Adam Almeida, President and CEO of TenantScreeningUSA.com opines: “Whenever a significant action occurs, that widely affects the rental market, landlords should take immediate note, and working with a well-qualified third-party tenant screening agency remains a best practice to stay ahead of potential changes in law.”
Recently, New York’s Governor Cuomo’s eviction moratorium extension has gone into effect. While the intent is to assist those adversely affected by the Covid 19 pandemic, it may be overly complicated and, subsequently, cause greater confusion for landlords and renters.
From NY.Curbed.com on September 30, 2020:
It was just a few brief sentences, but they sent reporters and housing lawyers into a frenzy: On a Monday call with journalists, three days before a state ban on evictions was set to expire, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced plans to extend residential eviction protections through January 1. The measure, he pledged, would provide “fundamental stability” in the lives of New York renters and ensure “nobody is going to be evicted.” Few details were shared, but some news outlets jumped on the announcement with headlines declaring a state ban on evictions through the end of the year. The details laid out in a Tuesday executive order, however, show that it’s far from the comprehensive pause on evictions the governor suggested was on the way. (1)
Challenges and concern with this latest extension were swift and immediate.
From AMNY.com on September 28, 2020:
“The devil is in the details, and we have yet to see an executive order with any specifics. A true moratorium will protect all tenants regardless of circumstance and not include any exemptions that landlords could exploit to drag our clients to court on frivolous grounds. Moreover, New York will still very much be in the midst of a public health crisis come 2021, and relief for tenants must extend well beyond the end of the pandemic. We eagerly await executive order language and hope that it truly provides the comprehensive relief that our clients deserve.” (2)
Almeida concludes: “It seems clear that the challenges presented from the ongoing Covid 19 pandemic will remain well into 2021. Landlords and property managers, now more than ever, should work closely with a well-qualified third-party tenant screening agency in order to remain compliant with current law, as well as laws that will continue to appear as a means to resolve the rental housing crisis.”
TenantScreeningUSA.com provides full-service tenant screening for landlords and property managers of any size and can greatly assist in remaining fully compliant with all existing law governing tenant screening. With a highly trained and experienced staff, TenantScreeningUSA.com can provide help to landlords and property managers with all their tenant screening needs.
Notes:
(1) ny.curbed.com/2020/9/30/21494542/nyc-eviction-moratorium-cuomo-tenants-landlords
(2) amny.com/news/eviction-moratorium-in-new-york-extended-for-rest-of-2020-but-rent-crisis-still-unresolved/
