NYSBA Commends Governor and Legislature for Averting Housing Crisis

NYSBA Commends Governor and Legislature for Averting Housing Crisis

9.1.2021

By Susan DeSantis

T. Andrew Brown, president of the New York State Bar Association, issued the following statement about the extension of the pandemic-era state eviction moratorium to Jan. 15, 2022:

“Governor Kathy Hochul and the state Legislature are showing real leadership in extending critical tenant protections while also recognizing the importance of preserving the rights of landlords, who are also struggling as a result of the ongoing challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic.

The financial impact of the Covid crisis has weighed particularly heavily on small business owners and lower-income residents – particularly essential workers and members of communities of color who were disproportionately impacted by the virus. Many New Yorkers saw their incomes curtailed – or lost their livelihoods completely – while others were forced to choose between maintaining a source of income and keeping their families safe from infection.

Proceeding with mass evictions during this pandemic is in no one’s best interest. With the added burden of federal pandemic unemployment insurance expiring this week, allowing the state moratorium to lapse could well have left thousands of individuals and families without a safe and secure home.

But our work is not done. An eviction moratorium is not a permanent solution to New York’s mounting housing affordability crisis. NYSBA members have been working throughout the pandemic to provide pro bono counsel to assist renters and landlords in their good faith efforts to negotiate solutions that prevent evictions and enable some measure of financial stability for both parties. We stand ready to continue our efforts and to work with elected officials in their ongoing efforts to address this long-standing problem.”

About the New York Bar Association
The New York State Bar Association is the largest voluntary state bar association in the nation. Since 1876, the Association has helped shape the development of law, educated and informed the legal profession and the public, and championed the rights of New Yorkers and others through advocacy and guidance.

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Contact: Susan DeSantis
sdesantis@nysba.org
201-575-5756