Gov. Andrew Cuomo has extended a ban on evictions through Aug. 20 to protect renters in New York who have lost their jobs or been furloughed due to the coronavirus shutdown.
Cuomo said the June 1 ban on evictions will be extended until late August, and there will also be a ban on landlords charging late fees for rental payments. Renters can also use their security deposits toward rent.
The governor said he hopes it eases people’s minds.
“The No. 1 issue that people talk to me about probably is rent, and fear about being able to pay their rent,” Cuomo said. “This just takes that issue off the table until Aug. 20.”
He said he can’t predict what will happen after Aug. 20, but added that the state “will handle it” when that time comes.
“That’s what we’ve been doing with this situation all along,” said Cuomo, who added many decisions about how to react to the pandemic are being made on a two-week basis.
Some tenant advocacy groups have called for rental payments to be waived altogether for people affected by the COVID-19 crisis. But the governor has said landlords need money, too, to maintain their buildings.
