The moratorium on evictions will extend until Aug. 20, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said Thursday, citing hardship brought about by the Covid-19 crisis.
Updated: The executive order reads, “Landlords shall provide such relief to tenants or licensees who so request it that are eligible for unemployment insurance or benefits under state or federal law or are otherwise facing financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Renters will also be allowed to use their security deposit as rent payment, to be made up later.
“During these incredibly difficult and stressful times we must protect New Yorkers who are facing financial hardships due to COVID-19,” Cuomo said. “The majority of people in the state live paycheck to paycheck, and all of a sudden the paychecks have stopped for these individuals but the rent bill keeps coming in. In March we issued a moratorium on all residential and commercial evictions, and we are going to extend that moratorium until August 20th to provide some relief to those New Yorkers who are struggling.”
Property owners also won’t be allowed to impose late fees for missed payments.
He also announced the results of the state’s antibody testing survey of health care workers. Approximately 27,000 employees from 25 downstate health care facilities were tested. The infection rate among health care workers is about the same or lower than the infection rate of the general population.
- 6.8 percent of health care workers in Westchester County tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies, compared to 13.8 percent of the general population in Westchester County
- 12.2 percent of health care workers in New York City tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies, compared to 19.9 percent of the general population in New York City
- 11.1 percent of health care workers on Long Island tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies, compared to 11.4 percent of the general population on Long Island.