The Tenant Safe Harbor Act provides tenants with protection by preventing the courts from evicting residential tenants who experienced financial hardship for non-payment of rent that accrues or becomes due during the COVID-19 period. It would apply to any unpaid rent accrued between March 7 and the yet-to-be-determined date on which all COVID-related restrictions on non-essential gatherings and businesses are lifted.
It is important to note that, although the eviction cannot be based on non-payment of rent that accrues during the Covid-19 period, the court can however, issue a money judgment for the arrears that accrue during the same period.
According to the NYU Furman Center an estimated 1,156,800 renter households in New York State have at least one worker who lost a job due to COVID-19. Of those households, an estimated 327,000 workers have lost their jobs but are not claiming unemployment insurance benefits; many are ineligible due to their immigration status.
The information above is intended to provide limited information only and it is not legal advice. If you are a party to a nonpayment of holdover proceeding, or otherwise need further guidance in this or a related area of law, SINGH & RANI, LLP can assist you.
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