Many cities and states have implemented or are attempting to implement eviction freezes, foreclosures and utility bill collections as Americans grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic.
People are being laid off, furloughed and otherwise losing their jobs and sources of income in droves.
Our unemployment safety net is facing incredible strain, much like our health care system.
At the minimum, people need housing, food and clean water. They need the sense of security offered by a semblance of stability.
Several cities and states have enacted housing security measures, part of an overall strategy to ensure public health and safety. These measures freeze evictions and foreclosures. In some cases, they also freeze utility bill collections and prohibit provides from shutting off utilities.
Some headlines have stated that President Trump has suspended all evictions and foreclosures. Those headlines are slightly misleading: The federal government has suspended evictions and foreclosures only for properties owned by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) through April, at the time of publication.
Cities
San Francisco and San Diego were the first two major cities credited with halting evictions. Los Angeles followed shortly, as did Oakland and San Jose. State Assemblyman Phil Ting of San Francisco is attempting to pass a bill that would freeze all evictions in California for up to one year or until Governor Gavin Newsom's emergency order expires. At the time of the publication of this article, Governor Newsom had signed an executive order that falls short of enforcing a statewide eviction freeze.
In Santa Fe, NM, Mayor Alan Webber updated the city's emergency proclamation to include a freeze on evictions and prohibit the shutting off of water.
City leaders and utility companies banded together in Denver, CO, to freeze evictions. Denver Water and Xcel Energy have pledged to not shut off residential electricity, gas or water, at least for an extended period of time. Black Hills Energy, which provides services for Pueblo, CO, along with cities in Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wyoming, has stated they're suspending utility disconnections.
Miami-Dade police stated they would no longer enforce eviction actions last week, but a freeze on statewide evictions and foreclosures has yet to be implemented.
Fulton County in Georgia, in which Atlanta is located, announced on March 17 the suspension of all eviction cases for 30 days.
Washington, D.C. has implemented a freeze on all evictions and foreclosures.
This list continues to grow. Please monitor your local lawmakers' and officials' announcements.
States
Alabama: No statewide freeze on evictions, foreclosures or utility bill collection.
Alaska: No statewide freeze on evictions, foreclosures or utility bill collection.
Arizona: No statewide freeze on evictions, foreclosures or utility bill collection.
Arkansas: No statewide freeze on evictions, foreclosures or utility bill collection.
California: City-by-city moratoriums on eviction freezes. Proposed legislation to include freeze on foreclosures
Colorado: No statewide freeze on evictions, foreclosures or utility bill collection.
Connecticut: Statewide freeze on evictions. Foreclosure hearings rescheduled to mid-May at time of publication. Utility shutoffs prevented.
Delaware: All eviction hearings postponed until after May 1 at time of publication. However, summons applications for landlord-tenant matters that include harm to a person or property and "essential services" will be accepted and receive a ruling. The court also claims the right to rule on case-by-case matters at its discretion.
Florida: No statewide freeze on evictions, foreclosures or utility bill collection.
Georgia: No statewide freeze on evictions, foreclosures or utility bill collection.
Hawaii: No statewide freeze on evictions, foreclosures or utility bill collection, yet: Governor David Ige said on March 17 that he would like to halt all evictions, foreclosures and utility shutoffs. The state's Department of Public Safety has announced the pausing of all evictions. Also on March 17, Hawaiian Electric announced utility shutoffs would be suspended for a minimum of 30 days.
Idaho: No statewide freeze on evictions, foreclosures or utility bill collection. Intermountain Gas, Idaho Power and Suez Water have stated they won't shutoff services, unless they need to do so in the event of an emergency. Ada County, of which Boise is the largest city, will continue to enforce eviction orders at time of publication.
Illinois: No statewide freeze on evictions, foreclosures or utility bill collection. Sheriff's deputies in Cook County, in which Chicago is located, will halt evictions for 30 days.
Indiana: Eviction proceedings are stayed temporarily and will be rescheduled.
Iowa: No statewide freeze on evictions, foreclosures or utility bill collection.
Kansas: On March 17, Governor Laura Kelly signed an order to suspend all residential and business evictions until May 1, 2020.
Kentucky: Courts have canceled all eviction proceedings until April 10. However, some counties are enforcing evictions that were already in progress. The Sheriffs Office in Jefferson County, where Louisville is located, announced they were suspending evictions "for the foreseeable future."
Louisiana: Governor John Bel Edwards announced the freezing of evictions and foreclosures on March 18.
Maine: No statewide freeze on evictions, foreclosures or utility bill collection.
Maryland: Governor Larry Hogan has halted evictions and the shutting off of utilities for the duration of the declared state of emergency.
Massachusetts: No statewide freeze on evictions, foreclosures or utility bill collection. Lawmakers and other officials are calling for freeze on evictions.
Michigan: No statewide freeze on evictions, foreclosures or utility bill collection. Detroit has suspended evictions and foreclosures but urged those who can afford to pay rent and mortgages to continue to do so.
Minnesota: No statewide freeze on evictions, foreclosures or utility bill collection.
Mississippi: No statewide freeze on evictions, foreclosures or utility bill collection.
Missouri: No statewide freeze on evictions, foreclosures or utility bill collection.
Montana: No statewide freeze on evictions, foreclosures or utility bill collection.
Nebraska: No statewide freeze on evictions, foreclosures or utility bill collection.
Nevada: No statewide freeze on evictions, foreclosures or utility bill collection. Las Vegas has suspended all evictions for at least 30 days.
New Hampshire: Governor Chris Sununu has halted all evictions, foreclosures and utility shutoffs.
New Jersey: No statewide freeze on evictions, foreclosures or utility bill collection. Sheriffs in Bergen County, the most populous county in NJ, have suspended all evictions until further notice. Newark has suspended evictions.
New Mexico: No statewide freeze on evictions, foreclosures or utility bill collection. A spokesperson for Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham says a statewide freeze on evictions is being considered.
New York: Statewide moratorium on evictions and foreclosures, residential and commercial.
North Carolina: Lawmakers have instituted a 90-day ban on evictions and foreclosures.
North Dakota: No statewide freeze on evictions, foreclosures or utility bill collection.
Ohio: No statewide freeze on evictions, foreclosures or utility bill collection. Cleveland has announced an eviction freeze.
Oklahoma: No statewide freeze on evictions, foreclosures or utility bill collection. Oklahoma City has announced an eviction freeze.
Oregon: No statewide freeze on evictions, foreclosures or utility bill collection. Multnomah County, where Portland is located, has announced an eviction ban.
Pennsylvania: The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has banned all residential and commercial evictions through at least April 3.
Rhode Island: No statewide freeze on evictions, foreclosures or utility bill collection.
South Carolina: South Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice Don Beatty announced a statewide freeze on evictions.
South Dakota: No statewide freeze on evictions, foreclosures or utility bill collection.
Tennessee: No statewide freeze on evictions, foreclosures or utility bill collection. Davidson County, where Nashville is located, has announced a ban on evictions until further notice.
Texas: No statewide freeze on evictions, foreclosures or utility bill collection. Bexar County (San Antonio) and Harris County (Houston) have halted evictions.
Utah: No statewide freeze on evictions, foreclosures or utility bill collection. The Utah Housing Coalition has called for a statewide freeze on all evictions and foreclosures.
Vermont: No statewide freeze on evictions, foreclosures or utility bill collection. As of March 16, Governor Phil Scott implored landlords to voluntarily suspend evictions.
Virginia: The Supreme Court of Virginia has halted all "non-emergency" evictions.
Washington: Governor Jay Inslee has announced a 30-day ban on evictions.
West Virginia: No statewide freeze on evictions, foreclosures or utility bill collection.
Wisconsin: No statewide freeze on evictions, foreclosures or utility bill collection.
Wyoming: No statewide freeze on evictions, foreclosures or utility bill collection.
Puerto Rico: No territory-wide freeze on evictions, foreclosures or utility bill collection has been announced.
While we strive to publish accurate information, this situation is fluid and ever-changing. Please monitor the local and state announcements regarding evictions, foreclosures, utility shutoffs and other developments specific to where you live and operate a business. Also, monitor CDC and federal announcements and guidelines.