The Supreme Court Ruling on August 12th made sweeping changes to the New York City Eviction Moratorium, greatly diminishing its power in preventing evictions for tenants affected by COVID-19. The ruling eliminated the ability for tenants to sign a sworn “financial hardship declaration form” as a form of defense against eviction, instead requiring them to argue in court against their landlords (City Limits). Meanwhile, the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP), which has been accepting applications since June 1st, has dispersed only 11% of funds as of August 24th (New York Times). The CDC still has an Eviction Moratorium in place, although it was significantly altered in its most recent extension on August 3rd, which expires on October 3rd. This order only applies to counties that are “the hardest hit by the pandemic” in addition to numerous other qualifications (CDC).
UPDATE: Since last week, the Supreme Court has also struck down the federal Eviction Moratorium declaring that it must be approved by congress. Governor Hochul has committed to an increased campaign with more transparency to push for counties, tenants, and landlords to apply for ERAP funds as quickly as possible.