New York Governor Andrew Cuomo recently announced an executive order that will extend the hold on residential and commercial evictions for another 60 days. The original order would have expired in June, but now, tenants will have relief until at least August. Governor Cuomo’s executive order also includes a ban on late and missed payment fees until August.
Speaking at a press briefing held at New York Medical College, Cuomo said that tenants who are struggling financially because of COVID-19-related hardships have the option of using their security deposits to pay rent. They can then repay the deposit over time, according to the Governor.
Regarding landlords who are dependent on rental income to cover mortgages and other expenses, Governor Cuomo said that New York is in the process of coming up with ways to get relief out to owners who have been hit hard by the outbreak.
“We’re helping the landlords also, but on a human level I don’t want to see people and their children being evicted at this time through no fault of their own,” said Cuomo.
Will Similar Legislation Come to NJ?
In our previous blog, we discussed the ways that Executive Order #128 would allow residential renters in New Jersey to apply their security deposits toward overdue rent owed to landlords. Unfortunately, the Order failed to provide relief for aid struggling commercial landlords in our state. But what relief will be available for the retailers, shopping center tenants, restaurant owners, boutqiues, gyms, and beauty salons that are also losing revenue and struggling with their lease payments? Can we expect a similar executive order that parallels Executive Order #128, but applies to commercial business tenants? Our attorneys are positioned to be the first to know and we can share this information and guidance with you!
At M. Ross & Associates, LLC, our dedicated team of attorneys has been hard at work helping clients navigate various property management and commercial lease issues arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. We know that many commercial landlords throughout the state are barely scraping by as it is, which is why we hope that Governor Murphy will take notice of the efforts being taken to protect commercial landlords in New York. If not however, negotiation is the name and it’s our game. Let the attorneys at M. Ross & Associates, LLC negotiate with your landlord and property management company so that your business can withstand any economic setbacks from COVID-19.
If you need legal guidance regarding non-payment of rent, lease violations, nuisance actions, or eviction proceedings during this time, then please get in touch with us today to discuss your situation. Give us a call at (201) 897-4942 to schedule your consultation with an experienced lawyer at our firm.