This is the first story in a four-part series on rentals in the time of coronavirus. Read other installments of the series here:
Fear and uncertainty is mutual among renters and landlords: Poll
What should landlords do when tenants can’t pay rent?
Can landlords discriminate based on a tenant’s job? It’s complicated
The coronavirus outbreak has been dragging on in the U.S. for over a month at this point, but Wednesday marks the first time that rents and mortgage payments are due since the economy went into free fall and millions of Americans have lost their jobs.
To respond to the crisis, state and local governments across the country have begun implementing a variety of policies to keep people from losing their homes. The most common of these policies are eviction and foreclosure moratoriums. Other states simply closed their courts, meaning that eviction cases have effectively ground to a halt. And still other states have opted to take a largely hands-off approach.
What follows is a breakdown of the policies each state has enacted. The list isn’t entirely comprehensive because in some states, such as California, a multitude of cities have rolled out their own policies. But this is hopefully a starting point for anyone looking for information.
If you know of updated details, let us know and we’ll add it. Check back daily for updates.
Alabama
Alabama does not have a statewide policy in place for foreclosures or evictions, and recent days have seen reports of people facing ejection from their homes. However, the state has suspended in-person court hearings, which has the potential to delay or interfere with eviction proceedings.
Additional resources: Information on the pandemic is available from the state governor’s office.
Alaska
Gov. Mike Dunleavy has barred evictions of people who receive rental assistance from the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation. The Alaska Supreme Court has also postponed court proceedings.
Additional Resources: Information on the coronavirus is available from Alaska’s court system.
Arizona
Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey issued an executive order on March 24 delaying evictions for people impacted by the coronavirus for up to 120 days. Tenants have to provide documentation that they have lost income due to the pandemic. The order focuses on rentals and does not mention foreclosures.
Justice courts in Maricopa County — which includes Phoenix — are also delaying eviction hearings. Law enforcement officials in Pima County have additionally said they will halt evictions.
Additional resources: The Arizona Multifamily Association has information on the pandemic for landlords.
Arkansas
Arkansas does not currently have a statewide policy, though renters there have called for a moratorium on evictions.
Additional resources: Information on the pandemic can be found on the website of Gov. Asa Hutchinson.
California
California has had one of the more robust and far-reaching responses to the coronavirus. At the state level, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an order that allows local jurisdictions to pause evictions. Newsom also brokered a deal with major banks that will give mortgage holders a grace period in the event that they can’t make their payments.
Numerous local jurisdictions have also enacted their own policies. In Los Angeles, Mayor Eric Garcetti signed an order barring evictions, and issued a rent freeze on the city’s hundreds of thousands of rent-controlled units.
San Francisco Mayor London Breed also issued a moratorium on residential evictions.
Numerous other communities in California — including Ventura County, San Diego, San Bernardino and others — have also either adopted eviction moratoriums or are considering them.
Additional resources: The California Apartment Association has a resource page on the coronavirus.
An apartment building in East Hollywood, Los Angeles. Credit: Jim Dalrymple II
Colorado
Colorado does not have a statewide policy, but Gov. Jared Polis has issued a non-binding order aimed at limiting both foreclosures and evictions.
In Denver, the mayor’s office also announced two weeks ago that the local sheriff’s department would be reassigning personnel away from evictions, effectively stopping evictions in the city for the time being.
Additional resources: The Colorado Apartment Association has resources for both renters and property managers.
Connecticut
A judge in Connecticut has issued a stay of evictions through May 1. Foreclosure sales have also been postponed.
Additional resources: The Connecticut governor’s office is offering updates on the pandemic.
Delaware
Gov. John Carney suspended foreclosures and evictions last week as part of a state of emergency. Carney has also banned late fees and excess interest during Delaware’s state of emergency. The ban on evictions and foreclosures extends for 31 days after the state of emergency is lifted.
Additionally, the Delaware Housing Assistance Program will provide some people up to $1,500 to help pay their rent.
Additional resources: Updates on the pandemic and assistance programs are available from the Delaware government’s website.
Florida
There is no statewide policy in Florida. However, a number of local officials and law enforcement authorities have said they will not evict people. Those areas include Orange County, Broward County, Miami-Dade County, Seminole County and others.
Additional resources: The Florida Landlord Network has information on rentals and the pandemic.
Georgia
Georgia has no statewide policy in place, but Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms signed an executive order two weeks ago barring residential evictions for nonpayment of rent. The evictions are prohibited for 60 days. Some courts in Georgia are also closed.
Additional resources: Georgia has a state COVID-19 hotline.
Hawaii
The Hawaii Department of Public Safety Sheriff Division has indefinitely suspended all evictions. The state’s Supreme Court has also postponed all eviction hearings through April 30.
Additional resources: The Hawaii Association of Realtors has information on the pandemic.
Idaho
Idaho does not have a statewide policy in place for coronavirus-related foreclosures and evictions. However, the Idaho Supreme Court has suspended in-person hearings, possibly impacting eviction cases, though hearings are allowed to proceed via video conferencing. A judge did order a halt to eviction cases in Blaine County.
Additional resources: Coronavirus resources can be obtained from the Boise City/Ada County Housing Authorities.
Illinois
An executive order from Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker prohibits residential evictions through April 7.
In Chicago, both renters and homeowners can apply for $1,000 in aid from the Covid-19 Housing Assistance Grant Program. Cook County, which includes Chicago, has also put a moratorium on eviction and foreclosure court hearings. Tenants have also been calling for a rent freeze in Chicago, though so far that policy has not yet materialized.
Additional resources: The Chicagoland Apartment Association has resources on the coronavirus.
An apartment building in Chicago designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe Credit: Jim Dalrymple II
Indiana
Landlords in Indiana cannot begin eviction proceedings until the end of the emergency, thanks to an executive order from Gov. Eric Holcomb. The order also bars foreclosures during the crisis.
Additional resources: The Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority has information on the pandemic.
Iowa
Gov. Kim Reynolds signed an order last week that suspends foreclosures and evictions. Reynolds has also barred landlords from terminating rental agreements. The orders remain in effect for the duration of the crisis.
Additional resources: Coronavirus information is available from the governor’s office.
Kansas
Gov. Laura Kelly halted evictions and mortgage foreclosures in a March 17 executive order. The order remains in effect until May 1.
Additional resources: The housing authority in Kansas City, Kansas, is providing information on housing and the pandemic.
Kentucky
The Kentucky Supreme Court has stopped all eviction hearings until April 10. Gov. Andy Beshear also signed an order last week halting evictions.
The sheriff in Jefferson County — which includes Louisville — has also halted evictions.
Additional resources: The Louisville Apartment Association has compiled coronavirus-related resources for members of the apartment industry.
Louisiana
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards halted both evictions and foreclosures with an executive order on March 16. Courts in the state are also postponing hearings.
New Orleans and some other municipalities have additionally suspended evictions.
Additional resources: Louisiana Law Help has compiled information on the pandemic’s impact to housing in the state.
Maine
Maine has closed its courts for eviction hearings through May 1. However, landlords can still begin eviction proceedings in the state. There is otherwise no statewide coronavirus policy for rents or mortgages.
Additional resources: Maine’s court system is currently providing some information on the pandemic.
Maryland
Maryland Gov. Lawrence Hogan’s emergency declaration from March 16 prohibits evictions for as long as the crisis continues. Tenants have to be able to show that their loss of income is related to the emergency.
Baltimore County has also stopped evictions.
Additional resources: Gov. Hogan’s COVID-19 response page can be found here.
Massachusetts
Courts in Massachusetts are closed, effectively preventing eviction cases from advancing. Courts should remain closed until April 21. Lawmakers in the state have also been working on a rule that would prevent sheriffs and constables from evicting people.
Earlier this month, Gov. Charlie Baker also announced a new $5 million special fund to assist people facing eviction or foreclosure.
Boston Mayor Marty Walsh has also offered rental vouchers, and suspended evictions in the city.
Additional resources: The Greater Boston Real Estate Board has compiled numerous resources related to the pandemic.
Michigan
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed an executive order on March 20 that “allows tenants and mobile home owners to remain in their homes during the COVID-19 pandemic even if they are unable to stay current on their rent.” Whitmer’s order will remain in effect through April 17.
Additional resources: Michigan Legal Help has put together resources on both evictions and foreclosures.
Minnesota
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz signed an executive order on March 23 halting evictions for renters during the crisis. The order also asks financial institutions to “implement an immediate moratorium on all pending and future foreclosures and related evictions.”
Additional resources: The Minnesota Housing Finance Agency’s coronavirus information page can be found here.
Mississippi
Mississippi does not have statewide eviction or foreclosure moratoriums.
Additional resources: Mississippi’s government has a resource page on the pandemic.
Missouri
Missouri does not have any statewide rent or foreclosure relief programs. The state has suspended in-person court hearings, which could potentially delay or otherwise interfere with eviction cases.
Several counties have suspended evictions.
Additional resources: Information on the pandemic from the governor’s office is available here.
Downtown St. Louis. Credit: Jim Dalrymple II
Montana
Montana doesn’t currently have any statewide rental or foreclosure rules in place in response to the pandemic.
Additional resources: Montana Legal Services Association has compiled resources on the coronavirus and housing rights.
Nebraska
On March 25, Gov. Ed Ricketts barred evictions for tenants who cannot pay rent due to the coronavirus epidemic. The order is set to remain in effect until May 31.
Additional resources: Ricketts’ order and fact sheet can be found here.
Nevada
Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak earlier this week suspended both evictions and foreclosures for 90 days. Sisolak’s order came after calls for a moratorium from housing advocates.
State Treasurer Zach Conine also announced this week that multiple lenders had agreed to give borrowers a 90-day grace period for their mortgages.
Additional resources: Coronavirus information can be obtained from the Nevada Housing Coalition.
New Hampshire
New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu temporarily halted all evictions and foreclosures in his state on March 17h. Sununu’s order bars landlords from even beginning eviction proceedings against renters during the crisis.
Additional resources: All of Gov. Sununu’s coronavirus executive orders are available here.
New Jersey
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy halted all evictions and foreclosures on March 19. Murphy’s order came after his state’s Senate gave him the authority to take that action.
Additional resources: Murphy’s fact sheet on his eviction and foreclosure order can be found on his website.
New Mexico
The New Mexico Supreme Court halted eviction hearings last week. However, tenants hoping to avoid eviction will have to provide evidence that they can’t pay their rent.
Meanwhile, Albuquerque has stopped evictions for people in public housing who can’t pay rent.
Additional resources: New Mexico Courts have a list of coronavirus updates.
New York
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo imposed a 90-day eviction moratorium on March 20. The moratorium applies to both residential and commercial property.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has also called for a rent freeze, saying that such an idea would be “lifeline so many will need this year to stay above water.” The idea has not yet been implemented, but is currently picking up steam among other lawmakers.
Additional resources: The Real Estate Board of New York has compiled a list of resources on the pandemic.
Apartments in Manhattan. Credit: Jim Dalrymple II
North Carolina
A March 13 order from North Carolina Chief Justice Cheri Beasley stopped all non-essential court proceedings, which effectively means eviction and foreclosure hearings are on hold in the state for 30 days. However, at least one county sheriff planned to continue executing eviction orders that were already in the pipeline.
Both law enforcement and political leaders in North Carolina have called for a statewide moratorium on evictions.
Additional resources: The Apartment Association of North Carolina has a variety of resources for dealing with the pandemic.
North Dakota
The North Dakota Supreme Court halted eviction proceedings in the state last week. The High Plains Fair Housing Center has also asked the governor for a moratorium on evictions.
Additional resources: The North Dakota Association of Realtors has a resource page for industry professionals.
Ohio
Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor has asked courts to postpone eviction hearings, though the request is not binding.
Cleveland also announced that it would suspend all evictions stemming from outbreak-related financial hardship.
Additional resources: The Northern Ohio Apartment Association put together a resource page.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma does not currently have a statewide policy. Tulsa County issued a two-week moratorium on evictions earlier this month. The Oklahoma County sheriff has also halted evictions.
Additional resources: The Apartment Association of Central Oklahoma has a coronavirus guide.
Portland, Oregon. Credit: Jim Dalrymple II
Oregon
On March 22, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown issued an order prohibiting law enforcement from carrying out evictions. The order — which focuses on rents and doesn’t mention foreclosures — bars evictions for 90 days. Courts in the state are also on hold, though whenever they open back up landlords will have the ability to begin eviction proceedings. Brown’s order, however, will prevent law enforcement from completing those evictions by removing tenants.
The city of Portland, along with Multnomah County, have also imposed a moratorium on evictions.
Additional resources: The Oregon Rental Housing Association is currently providing information on the crisis.
Pennsylvania
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has closed the state’s courts. The order specifically notes that “during the period of judicial emergency, no eviction, ejectment or other displacement from a residence based on failure to make payment can be made.”
Beginning on March 16, Philadelphia also halted eviction proceedings in its municipal courts.
Additional resources: The Pennsylvania Association of Realtors has prepared information on the pandemic.
Rhode Island
Gov. Gina M. Raimondo ordered state courts not to process residential or commercial evictions. The order began March 19 and lasts for 30 days.
Additional resources: The Providence Housing Authority is providing guidance amid the coronavirus outbreak.
South Carolina
South Carolina Chief Justice Don Beatty stopped all eviction proceedings statewide two weeks ago. Beatty’s order lasts through May 1.
Additional resources: More information is available on the website of South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster.
Charlotte, South Carolina. Credit: Jim Dalrymple II
South Dakota
There are no statewide policies in place to prevent evictions and foreclosures in South Dakota. However, Sioux Falls Mayor Paul TenHaken has created a fund to help struggling residents avoid evictions and other hardships.
Additional resources: The South Dakota Realtors Association has resources for dealing with the pandemic.
Tennessee
The Tennessee Supreme Court has ordered judges in the state not to process eviction cases through April 30.
Additional resources: You can find more information about Tennessee’s response on the governor’s website.
Texas
On March 19, the Texas Supreme Court halted all evictions in the state for 30 days.
Two weeks ago, a judge in Dallas County also halted evictions in his area for the next 60 days. Meanwhile in Austin, the state capital, the city council passed a regulation that gives renters a 60-day “grace period” — effectively giving them more time to come up with the money to pay their landlords.
Additional resources: The Texas Apartment Association has a list of coronavirus resources for landlords.
Utah
Gov. Gary Herbert on Wednesday announced that renters would be allowed to defer payments until May 15. Landlords hoping to evict tenants will have to wait until after that date to proceed. The Utah Apartment Association — a trade group representing landlords — has also urged “owners to consider offering rent deferral for the month of April 2020” for impacted tenants.
Additional resources: The Utah Apartment Association has a collection of coronavirus resources.
Buildings in downtown Salt Lake City. Credit: Jim Dalrymple II
Vermont
Vermont does not currently have a statewide policy. But the Vermont Supreme Court has halted all non-emergency hearings, including those for evictions.
A number of affordable housing providers in the state — Champlain Housing Trust, Burlington Housing Trust, etc. — have also promised to not evict people during the pandemic.
Additional resources: The Vermont Landlord Association has a series of announcements and updates on the coronavirus.
Virginia
The Supreme Court of Virginia has declared a judicial emergency and postponed all non-emergency hearings, including evictions, until April 6.
Additional resources: The Northern Virginia Apartment Association is providing resources for property owners during the virus outbreak.
Washington
Gov. Jay Inslee issued an eviction moratorium on March 18. The moratorium lasts 30 days. The order also bars law enforcement from enforcing eviction orders based solely on the non-payment of rent.
Seattle has gone even further, with Mayor Jenny Durkan enacting a 60-day eviction moratorium on March 3. The rule protects tenants from eviction for non-payment of rent, as well as various other non-compliances during the pandemic. Seattle’s order also bars landlords from charging late fees.
Additional resources: The Washington Multifamily Housing Association has a covid-19 information center.
Washington, D.C.
Courts in Washington, D.C. have suspended evictions for both renters and for foreclosures.
Additional resources: The Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia has gathered a number of resources for residents of the District.
West Virginia
The West Virginia Supreme Court has declared a judicial emergency and suspended all non-emergency hearings, including those for housing related matters.
Additional resources: The West Virginia Governor’s office has resources about the state’s response.
Wisconsin
Gov. Tony Evers issued an order on March 27 prohibiting landlords from evicting tenants for not paying rent. The order will remain in effect for 60 days.
Additional resources: The Wisconsin Apartment Association is offering resources for landlords.
Wyoming
Wyoming does not currently have any pandemic-related rent, eviction or foreclosure policies. The Wyoming Supreme Court has, however, suspended many in-person hearings. The move could potentially delay evictions, though judges in the state can still carry out proceedings via video conference.
Additional resources: Information about the pandemic in Wyoming is available on the governor’s website.
Updated: April 1, 9:45 p.m. EDT
