Senator Biaggi's Week in Review: 8/16/21-8/20/21

 

Dear Community,

New York currently faces a dire housing crisis, and this crisis has only been further exacerbated in the last few weeks. On August 12th, the United States Supreme Court blocked part of New York State’s eviction moratorium, which is set to expire on August 31st, 2021. The court order “stressed that it applied only to a provision that bars the eviction of tenants who file a form saying they have suffered economic setbacks as a result of the pandemic, rather than providing evidence in court,” according to the New York Times. This decision means that courts may accept eviction filings from landlords until the Legislature reconvenes to pass a new moratorium, further putting tenants at risk of being displaced from their homes and experiencing homelessness. 

Prior to the Supreme Court ruling, Assemblymember Yuh-Line Niou and I introduced legislation this month to extend New York’s eviction moratorium to October 31st, 2021. I believe that given the recent Supreme Court ruling on New York’s eviction moratorium, the surge in the Delta variant, and the failure of the Emergency Rental Assistance Program to properly distribute funds, it is absolutely necessary for the Legislature to reconvene immediately to strengthen and extend New York’s moratorium. 

Although the Emergency Rental Assistance Program opened to the public in June, not a single payment was distributed that month and as of August 12th, only $108.8 million of the $2.7 billion of available funds have been distributed to those in need-- a pace significantly slower than other states. The Emergency Rental Assistance Program’s failure to properly distribute funds has put the livelihoods of rent-burdened New Yorkers at risk, and by extending the eviction moratorium, we can provide relief to these struggling New Yorkers. 

I am urging leadership in the Legislature to reconvene and vote to strengthen and extend the eviction moratorium immediately. As legislators, we must do everything in our power to prevent families from losing their homes and experiencing the trauma that ensues after an eviction.

With Gratitude,

State Senator Alessandra Biaggi