Ohioans facing eviction urge Gov. DeWine to issue a statewide eviction moratorium for residential tenants

Plain Press, May 2020      In March, the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless (NEOCH) and a group of 80 organizations delivered a letter to Governor DeWine calling for a statewide residential eviction moratorium. Since then, over 700 people have signed the letter, 100 of whom are at risk of eviction at this very moment. On April 1, Gov. Mike DeWine issued 90-day eviction and foreclosure protections for commercial businesses. The NEOCH group is urging the governor to provide similar supports for Ohio residential renters.

Citing Ohio’s failing score in the COVID-19 Housing Policy Scorecard  released on April 20^th by national housing expert Matthew Desmond and The Eviction Lab, the NEOCH group said minimizing evictions in Ohio during this period is critical to reducing the spread of COVID-19. The Scorecard evaluates a number of emergency measures in the eviction process, from filing initiation, the enforcement of eviction orders, to providing tenant protections like requiring landlords to accept late payments, and prohibiting landlords from charging late fees during the moratorium period. Even if a moratorium were granted across Ohio, tenant protections are necessary to prevent an eviction tsunami later this summer, says the NEOCH group.

“Many Ohioans have experienced a substantial loss of income as a result of layoffs and the loss of wages related to COVID-19, hampering their ability to keep up with rent and leaving them vulnerable to eviction. During a time when many Ohioans are already experiencing a homelessness crisis, the COVID-19 outbreak has made it clear that our state cannot afford to compound the problem by not offering tenant protections for renters impacted by the pandemic,” said a statement from the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless calling for the eviction moratorium.