Legislators are not happy with the devastating pain Albany has inflicted on restaurant owners and are hoping to deal a similar blow to landlords with a hugely irresponsible, extended ban on rental evictions that will see virtually everyone cancel rent by at least May 1st can skip by simply filling out a form.
No kidding: Under the new law backed by Governor Cuomo, tenants who would rather not pay their monthly rent can simply fill out a form claiming they are “having trouble” and show it to their landlord – and they have: I will be protected from eviction at least until May. The law also provides that all eviction procedures are suspended for at least 60 days.
Meanwhile, Cuomo and President Trump have also extended state and federal eviction bans. However, the new law would go further and provide protection to tenants without having to prove that they really suffered trouble as a result of the pandemic. And landlords don’t have a chance to contest tenant claims.
So anyone – no matter how rich or how well they did during the lockdowns – can submit a form and delay paying their rent (if they don’t get off at some point).
Albany has to think that landlords have no bills or are swimming in extra cash. The truth is that many struggle as much, if not more, than their tenants. Homeowners are already $ 500 million arrears on their own property tax bills, with an additional $ 13.7 billion due next Monday. And most of them cannot cry in need.
The last thing the city needs is for home builders to suddenly go to their knees, ignoring maintenance needs and tax payments, or maybe even giving up their properties entirely.
“Closing the courts for several months will not relieve the massive debts of tens of thousands of renters, nor will it provide financial relief to the hundreds of housing providers who provided safe and clean homes to millions of New Yorkers during COVID-19,” says Emergency Jay Martin, director of the Community Housing Improvement Program, which represents smallholders. “If tenants interpret this bill as a justification for not paying rent, the damage to our economy and local households will be immense.”
He’s right. Even if you are in favor of ceasing evictions, this law goes way too far. If Cuomo lets it take effect, it will only increase the COVID damage it has already caused.