New York braces for evictions as key renter protection expires
A ban on evictions and foreclosures that has been in place in the US from the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic has been removed in New York State.
The official expiration of the moratorium on Saturday restored power to landlords in New York to forcibly evict tenants unable to pay their rents.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul claimed on Friday that the pandemic was trending downward and the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, which just recently exploded to new records, was "on the horizon."
Meanwhile, tenant rights advocates voiced their opposition to the expiration of the moratorium, saying it was unfair to the poor residents of New York who were still struggling with the pandemic.
"The Center for NYC Neighborhoods is deeply concerned about the expiration of the statewide foreclosure and eviction moratorium on Saturday, Jan. 15," CEO and Executive Director Christie Peale said in a statement.
"The reality is that too many homeowners and renters remain dangerously close to losing their homes nearly two years since the COVID-19 pandemic first upended New York and its residents. The moratorium has been a critical source of stability for New Yorkers facing foreclosure or eviction, especially for Black and Brown and lower- to middle-income families who have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic," it said.
In related news, Tenants' rights advocates rallied on the steps of the New York Public Library on Friday, demanding federal relief for impoverished families who were in dire economic straits due to the pandemic.
"We're here today fighting to get our electeds to pay attention and understand and we're going to keep fighting until they take action," said Jarrod McFarlane, Housing Justice for All.
The protesters called on Hochul to extend the eviction moratorium for another six months until the end of June.
The media reported that several protestors were arrested at Friday's event, but the vast majority remained peaceful.
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