New York renters cannot be evicted due to nonpayment of rent because of the COVID-19 pandemic until at least August 20, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced Thursday morning
Gov. Cuomo pledged to extend the state's moratorium on evictions an additional two months, while also banning fees for late or missed payments.
Furthermore, renters will be allowed to use their security deposits to pay their rent. They can then repay the deposit over time.
The governor said the situation will be reassessed in August after the state has a better idea of how the economy is coming back from what officials hope was the 'plateau' of the pandemic in April.
Cuomo has acknowledged throughout the coronavirus crisis in New York that his PAUSE order would have dire consequences for the state's economy, but that it would duly save lives and preserve the ability of state hospitals to treat every patient who is admitted with COVID-19 symptoms.
COVID-19 hospitalizations, intubations and deaths are all down in the state. Addressing questions of reopening, the governor indicated that the state would stick to its plan to allow some counties begin reopening on May 15.
At one point, the governor referred to a graph depicting the state's coronavirus totals over the past several weeks, lamenting how sharply the infection curve increased over a matter of two weeks or so and how slowly is has since fallen.
"Look at how fast those numbers went up and you can see how long it takes for them to come down," he said.
Cuomo's administration has been resolved to opt for a slow and phased reopening that will likely drag through the summer as a way of preventing the state from enduring another dramatic spike in new cases.
An Associated Press analysis released earlier this week found that national coronavirus numbers that suggest a declining rate of infections in the U.S. are overly-influenced by data from the greater NYC-area.
While coronavirus infections in New York, New Jersey and the surrounding area are declining, they are still on the rise in many regions across the country, including states that have already begun reopening.
Cuomo was happy to report that the infection rate specifically among hospital workers was surprisingly in line with that of the general population. He said it was proof that masks, gloves and hand sanitizer work to stop the spread.
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