Chief Administrative Judge Announces Statewide Eviction Ban

Due to the coronavirus, New York State has suspended eviction proceedings indefinitely. A memo issued by New York’s Chief Administrative Judge Lawrence Malks effectively suspended eviction proceedings and pending eviction orders until further notice.

The court system had issued a one-week moratorium on evictions in New York City on March 13. However, the memo issued two days later, on March 15, suspended all eviction proceedings and pending eviction orders statewide for both residential and commercial units. However, certain essential housing court functions, like landlord lockouts and serious housing code violations and repair orders, will be permitted to continue.

The suspension of evictions came on the heels of increased pressure from legislators and tenant groups to address increased housing insecurity and possible homelessness due to the coronavirus. State Senators Brad Hoylman and Brian Kavanagh introduced legislation to enact a moratorium on evictions and foreclosures during the coronavirus outbreak, and there was a widely circulated petition by a coalition of tenants’ rights groups on Governor Andrew Cuomo and Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals Janet DiFiore to issue an eviction moratorium amid the state’s outbreak.

Following these initiatives, on Friday, March 13, the Real Estate Board of New York and 29 building owners and managers committed to a three-month moratorium on “executing any warrant of eviction unless it is for criminal or negligent behavior that jeopardizes the life, health or safety of other residents.” The group noted that with “all the stress, health risk and economic suffering, no one should have to worry about losing their place to live during this crisis.”