Ithaca examines rent relief for residents
Written by Site Hub on June 15, 2020
In a historic move, Ithaca, N.Y. is the first city in the nation to seek rent relief for tenants who’s income has been effected by the pandemic.
Ithaca’s city council is asking the State of New York if its Mayor could be given the power to cancel residential and small business rent.
The State Department of Labor released statistics from a study showing that Ithaca lost 9,200 private jobs in April and the unemployment rate is around 11%.
Organizers are asking for Governor Andrew Cuomo to sign their proposition as an executive order. The Governor’s first eviction ban expires on June 20, but he has extended it until August 20.
According to Genevieve Rand, Ithaca’s Tenants Union organizer, the extension comes with decreased protection:
“You can still be served papers and driven to court, you have to have a defense that can prove you have had economic hardship because of COVID-19.”
Source:
USA Today
