New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo Extends Eviction Moratorium to August

The mass closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in millions of Americans losing their jobs. This has put people in a position where they’re unsure of how and when they’ll be able to pay their rent. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has provided some relief for those in his state.

CBS News reports that Gov. Cuomo has extended the eviction moratorium for another 60 days. “The No. 1 issue that people talk to me about probably is rent, and fear about being able to pay their rent, and this just takes that issue off the table until August 20,” Cuomo said in his Thursday coronavirus briefing. Cuomo has also banned any late-payment fees and has authorized the use of security deposits as payment.

The governor also revealed that the state is working with banks to provide relief for landlords as well. “There is no doubt a tradeoff between the tenant and the landlord. We are helping the landlords also, but on a human level I don’t want to see people and their children being evicted at this time, through no fault of their own.” Cuomo said.

New York has been one of the states hardest hit by COVID-19. As of Friday, the state has had 332,931 cases of coronavirus and 26,206 deaths. After reaching a peak in April, the rate of new cases has begun to plateau. While progress is being made, Cuomo made it clear that it’s hard to predict how the situation will evolve in the weeks and months to come. “But I can tell you: Whatever happens, we will handle it at the time. And that’s what we’ve been doing with this situation all along, literally in two-week increments.”