New York City was one of the first places in the United States to see community spread of the novel coronavirus, and it instituted one of the earliest and most comprehensive lockdowns to contain the spread of the virus. This also means that its residents were among the first to suffer the financial hardships and economic uncertainty brought on by the pandemic, especially since the New York metropolitan area is one of the most expensive in the country.
According to an old joke, one of the most unrealistic things about TV shows such as Friends and Seinfeld which are set in New York is that they feature characters living in spacious apartments while working modestly paid jobs that, at New York prices, wouldn’t even cover the rent if you were sharing a sublet of a cardboard box with three roommates. In 2020, New York’s lawmakers enacted several laws and temporary measures to deal with the rent crisis brought on by the pandemic. If you are a tenant or a landlord involved in a rent dispute stemming from pandemic-related hardships, contact a lawyer.
Timeline of the COVID-19 Pandemic Eviction Restrictions in New York
Here is how the laws related to eviction have evolved during the pandemic:
- March 7, 2020 – At the beginning of the pandemic, Governor Cuomo issued Executive Order 202, which instituted a moratorium on evictions for nonpayment of rent; the moratorium would last until September 20, 2020. The moratorium applied to residential and commercial evictions, but only if the tenant could demonstrate that the inability to pay rent was a result of the pandemic.
- June 30, 2020 – The Tenant Safe Harbor Act (TSHA) went into effect. It permanently protected residential tenants from being evicted for nonpayment resulting from financial hardships they suffered between March 7, 2020, and the unspecified time in the future when restrictions of business activities and social gatherings would be lifted. It did not require landlords to forgive the debt for unpaid rent; the landlords could still sue the tenants and obtain judgments against them, but they could not evict. It also did not prohibit evictions for reasons other than non-payment of rent.
- December 28, 2020 – Governor Cuomo signed the Emergency Eviction and Foreclosure Prevention Act of 2020 (Emergency Act) into law. This law extended the moratorium on residential evictions until May 1, 2021. It also stipulated that residential landlords can only evict tenants for causing health and safety hazards to other tenants.
Besides this, federal and state policies have been constantly evolving as the pandemic situation keeps changing. If you are being threatened with eviction or if a non-paying tenant is being a nuisance, you should check with a lawyer to find out your rights under the current rules.
New York Eviction Restrictions Are Always Changing
New York laws and federal laws undergo frequent updates in response to the pandemic, as new virus variants emerge and more people receive vaccines. Working with a lawyer on your eviction case will ensure that you can exercise your rights and comply with the law.