The past 18 months have been hard on many in Eastern Connecticut. People were laid off or furloughed for a while, meaning they were unable to bring in the money to cover life’s basic necessities. Lines at food banks stretched as those who never needed to rely on such benefits before suddenly found themselves unable to afford food. For those who were unable to afford their monthly rent, relief came in the form of a federal eviction moratorium.
The basics on the eviction moratorium
Under the federal eviction moratorium, renters did not have to pay their monthly rent for the length of the moratorium. Government programs were in place to help struggling renters meet their past due rent during that time. The goal of the the moratorium was to give give renters the resources and time needed to catch up on late payments and to begin making regular rent payments again on time and in full. The federal eviction moratorium was set to expire on July 31, 2021.
Did the moratorium work?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention extended the federal eviction moratorium past its previous July 31 end date. While this is a bonus for those who are still struggling to pay their rent, it makes it difficult on landlords who have not been receiving rent from tenants for months. Many landlords believe the current moratorium is unlawful. One group of landlords has asked the Supreme Court to issue an administrative order blocking the moratorium for the time it takes for the group to provide the Supreme Court with further information on the topic.
Tenants and landlords have options
Tenants in Connecticut may be relieved for the time being that they will not be evicted for nonpayment of rent. Moreover, as of June 30, 2021, landlords in Connecticut must apply for the UniteCT rental assistance program before evicting a tenant for nonpayment of rent. The UniteCT rental assistance program also provides aid to landlords who are suffering financially due to their tenants’ overdue rent payments. With this program in place, Connecticut landlords and tenants have options while challenges to the current CDC order are played out in court.
