In the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, several major cities across the United States are placing temporary bans on evictions, or else considering them. The San Jose City Council has approved a proposal to prevent evictions during the emergency, while similar legislation is in progress in San Francisco.
In other jurisdictions, including Baltimore and Miami-Dade County, states of emergency bar evictions from moving forward. On a broad scale, evictions may not move forward in many municipalities as courts stop or scale back operations.
Major trade groups representing the rental industry have backed landlords taking steps to reduce the burden on renters. Greg Brown, senior vice president of government affairs for the National Apartment Association, said that his organization is encouraging its members “to be as flexible as possible with any residents who may be affected.”
The National Multifamily Housing Council, meanwhile, called on the federal government to “provide short-term financial assistance to renters facing layoffs or lengthy periods without a paycheck.”
