Supreme Court partially blocks New York’s eviction moratorium

THAN "THREE POINT TWOPERCENT"..

IN THE LAST 16MONTHS..

BUT HERE IN BUFFALO..THE AVERAGE COST OF RENT IS UP*"FIVE POINT THREEPERCENT*..

FROM THE START OFTHE PANDEMIC TO NOW..

IN MARCHOF THIS YEAR..

RENT IN OURAREA AVERAGED "ONE- THOUSAND..ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY THREEDOLLARS"..MORE THAN "860- THOUSAND" NEWYORKERS ARE BEHIND ON RENT..AND ROUGHLY "173-THOUSAND"FAMILIES ARE AT RISK OF BEINGKICKED OUT OF THEIR HOMES..NEW YORK STATE HAD AN EVICTIONBAN IN PLACE UNTIL THE END OFAUGUST BUT JUST YESTERDAY --THE SUPREME COURT STEPPED INTO BLOCK PART OF THE BAN..TONIGHT -- OUR LILIA WOODTELLS US WHAT THE COURT'SDECISION MEANS FOR PEOPLEFACING EVICTION..(00:00) (00:14) (00:27) (01:08)(02:04) ADAM: "AT THIS POINT,TENANTS ARE SCARED." THESUPREME COURT HAS BLOCKED PARTOF NEW YORK'S EVICTIONMORATORIUM.

TENANTS RIGHTSATTORNEY, ADAM BOJAK, TELLS MESOME TENANTS CAN NOW BEEVICTED ADAM: "WHAT IT DOES ISIT'S GOING TO UNDERCUT THEMOST IMPORTANT PART OF WHATNEW YORK HAS PUT IN PLACE ASFAR AS PROTECTION FORTENANTS." ALL SIX CONSERVATIVEJUSTICES VOTED TO STRIKE DOWNPART OF THE LAW THAT DENIESLANDLORDS THE CHANCE TOCONTEST A TENANT'S CLAIM OFHARDSHIP.

COREY: "IT BASICALLYALLOWED THE TENANT TO SAY 'IHAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY COVID.'ONCE THE TENANT SIGNEDSOMETHING TO THAT AFFECT, ITCOULD NOT BE CHALLENGED BY ALANDLORD.

THE SUPREME COURTSAID YOU CAN'T LET THELANDLORD NOT HAVE THE ABILITYTO CHALLENGE IT." THE SURPREMECOURT'S DECISION STATES 'NOMAN CAN BE A JUDGE IN HIS OWNCASE'& AND THE COURT SHOULDDETERMINE THE HARDSHIPS.

ADAM:"IT DOESN'T AUTOMATICALLY STOPTHE EVICTION FROM PROCEEDING.IT'S NOW ONLY A DEFENSE TO THEACTION." ATTORNEY, COREYHOGAN, REPRESENTS ABOUT 200LANDLORDS.

COREY: "OUR OPINIONIS IT'S NOT GOING TO OPEN THECOURTS TO ANY SIGNIFICANTEVICTION PROCESS AS LONG ASTHE CURRENT STATUTE ON THEBOOKS STAYS IN PLACE."STAND-UP: "SOME ARECONSIDERING THIS A WIN FORLANDLORDS BECAUSE TECHNICALLYTHEY CAN START TO EVICT SOMEPEOPLE, BUT HOGAN TELLS MEEVICTION IS NOT THAT SIMPLE."LILIA: "ARE EVICTIONS COMING?"ADAM: "THIS IS A TOUGHQUESTION.

THEY ARE COMING, BUTI DON'T THINK IT WILL BE A BIGWAVE AS YOU MIGHT THINKBECAUSE THE COURTS CAN ONLYHANDLE SO MUCH." AFTER THECOURT RULINGGOVERNOR OF NEW YORK STATE -KATHY HOCHUL SAID NO NEWYORKERS WHO HAVE BEENFINANCIALLY HIT BY THEPANDEMIC SHOULD BE FORCED TOLEAVE THEIR HOMES& AND SAYSHE WILL QUICKLY ADDRESS THISSUPREME COURT'S DECISION.COREY: "SHE HAS DETERMINATIONTO FIX THE LAW, SO THEEVICTION PROCESS WILL BESTOPPED AS WELL IF WE DON'T DOSOMETHING MORE THAN WHAT JUSTHAPPENED." ON TOP OF ALL OFTHISRENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM ISVERY SLOW MOVING.

BOTH LAYWERSTELLS ME MOST RENTERS ANDLANDLORDS ARE STILL WAITINGFOR MONEY.

ADAM: "THERE'SWORRY AND FEAR ESPECIALLY WITHTHE EMERGENCY RENTALASSISTANCE PROGRAM AND THEFUND THAT ARE BEING PUT ASIDEBUT NOT BEING PAID OUT." PUSHBUFFALO'S HOUSING JUSTICEORGANIZER TELLS ME MOSTTENANTS SHE SPEAKS TO ARE JUSTCONFUSED.

"THIS IS CONFUSING.BOTH THE STATE AND FEDERALEVICTION MORTARIUM ARE STILLIN PLACE, AND THERE AREPROTECTIONS FOR TENANTS TOACCESS." NEW YORK'S MORATORIUMIS GOING TO EXPIRE AT THE ENDOF AUGUST, AND THE FEDERALMORATORIUM REMAINS IN PLACEUNTIL OCTOBER THIRD.

LILIAWOOD, 7 EYEWITNESS NEWSADAM BOJAK -- A TENANTS RIGHTSATTORNEY -- SAYS IT'SIMPORTANT FOR RENTERS TO THEIRRIGHTS AND HOW TO EXERCISETHEM..

FOR RENTAL ASSISTANCE..VISIT "O-T-D-A DOT N-Y DOTGOV"..

AND FOR ADDITIONALHOUSING RESOURCES..

VISIT"PUSH- BUFFALO DOT ORG