State eviction moratorium extension unlikely

The state law restricting evictions is unlikely to survive past its January 15 expiration, according to a housing attorney closely tracking the issue.

“I don’t see any indication that the state and the legislators will extend the eviction moratorium further,” Legal Aid Society staff attorney Ellen Davidson told The Capitol Pressroom.

“It’s one of the longest, strongest moratoriums in the country and I think the fact that we were able to extend it last time happened because of two unexpected events: one was the supreme court actions and the second was a new governor,” she said. “Unless,  you know, something completely unexpected happens before January 15, all indications that we have is that the moratorium will end.”

Davidson added that she was unaware of any conversations among Democratic lawmakers  about extending the moratorium.

The existing moratorium was adopted at the end of the summer, and included a revised process for allowing landlords to challenge a tenant’s eligibility to be covered by the protections. The new process was a response to a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court, which struck down a previous moratorium because it lacked a meaningful mechanism for landlords to question whether a tenant had experienced an economic hardship that would qualify them for the program.