New York, Dec 28 (EFE) .- The state of New York will ban most evictions in the coming months, in a measure designed to protect tenants who are having trouble paying rent as a result of the pandemic of the coronavirus.
The state Senate, controlled by Democrats, approved the measure on Monday and the Assembly, in the hands of the same party, planned to do the same throughout the day during a special session, while the governor, Andrew Cuomo, has already said he will sign it.
The new rule will prohibit practically all evictions for 60 days, including those already in process, while it will allow people with financial problems due to covid-19 and the restrictions imposed to combat it to request suspensions until next May 1.
The law will stop evictions, but tenants will continue to owe the debts accumulated during the pandemic.
Since the outbreak of the health crisis in March, New York State has tried to protect citizens from possible evictions, with different measures, including a moratorium approved by Cuomo and that ended next Friday, although the governor has said that the will extend.
Despite that executive order, there have been some evictions in recent months and the promoters of the new rule hope that the legislation will be more effective in allowing people with financial difficulties to continue at home.
Meanwhile, critics of the measure, including some landlord organizations, denounce that it does not require tenants to demonstrate financial problems linked to the pandemic and, therefore, provides an incentive to simply not pay rent for a few months.
Tenant advocacy groups, for their part, are calling for longer-term solutions, such as canceling the debts accumulated by many tenants who have not been able to work as a result of COVID-19. EFE
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