Stay on evictions in New York will continue through August, Cuomo says

New York residents struggling amid the coronavirus pandemic can’t be evicted by their landlords until at least Aug. 20, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Thursday. 

Cuomo’s announcement extends the state’s previous moratorium on evictions, which lasted only through June.  

“I don’t want to see people and their children evicted at this time, through no fault of their own,” Cuomo said. 

Landlords are also prohibited from charging tenants late fees during the public health crisis, and renters will be allowed to apply their security deposits to their rent, the governor said. 

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New York has been the hardest hit by the public health crisis, with more than a third of the country’s virus-related deaths concentrated in the state. More than 320,000 residents have tested positive. 

Renters in many states are protected by a temporary moratorium on evictions, though the rules vary widely depending on location. 

Landlords in Delaware and Nevada can’t charge late fees during the public health crisis, but in Illinois and Rhode Island, they can. 

And eviction proceedings continue to unfold in states such as Wyoming, South Dakota, Missouri and Idaho, albeit over Zoom or on the phone instead of in a courtroom.

“There’s no one approach,” said Emily A. Benfer, a professor at Columbia Law School. 

Housing advocates and lawyers are concerned about what will happen when the moratoriums lift. 

“People are continuing to struggle to pay their rent and relying on the moratorium, but the stress of knowing that after the moratorium, they might be evicted, is really intense,” said Julia McNally, an attorney at The Legal Aid Society in Kew Gardens, New York. 

This is breaking news. Check back for updates.