Information on COVID-19-related resources, eviction moratoriums, and tenant protections.
By Ann O’Connell, Attorney · UC Berkeley School of Law
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, the federal government, as well as many any states, cities, and counties, have taken steps to minimize the impact of the crisis on tenants. As of July 2022, there are no longer any statewide eviction bans in place. However, many states, cities, and counties have put various types of tenant protections (such as rental assistance and eviction diversion programs) in place. See the links in the table below to help locate resources where you live.
Federal Tenant Protections
The CDC's Eviction Ban Is No Longer in Place. The Alabama Association of Realtors, along with other plaintiffs, challenged the validity of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)'s August 3, 2021 Agency Order halting evictions in areas with high COVID-19 transmission rates (Order).
The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia (District Court) agreed with the plaintiffs that the Order was unlawful, but stayed (put on hold) its decision, leaving the Order in place.
The plaintiffs then asked the U.S. Supreme Court to lift (vacate) the District Court's stay of its decision, which would result in the eviction ban created by the Order ending. On August 26, 2021, the Supreme Court granted the plaintiffs' request to vacate the District Court's stay.
As a result of the Supreme Court's August 26, 2021 decision, the CDC's eviction ban is no longer in place.
FHFA Tenant Protections
The government-backed mortgage buyers Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae (FHFA) have prohibited landlords of multifamily properties with Freddie Mac- and Fannie Mae-backed mortgages from evicting tenants. For the most current details on the FHFA's tenant protections, see the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's information for renters in multifamily housing.
State Eviction Protection
The chart below attempts to capture the latest information on coronavirus-related tenant protections by state. Please note that this information changes frequently, and the chart might not reflect all current protections. For the best information about the status of evictions where you live, check your state's judicial system or governor's website. You can also contact a legal aid organization in your area.
In the chart, click on the state's name to be directed to its official COVID-19 website.
| State | County or City | Hold On Evictions | Hold on Utility Shutoffs | Other Tenant Protections/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No | No | -Alabama's emergency rental assistance program. -Visit ALtogether to find resources for assistance in Alabama. -Alabama's Coronavirus Relief Fund. | ||
| No | No | -See the Regulatory Commission of Alaska's COVID-19 utility information page. -Information for renters about 2022 rent relief programs. | ||
| No | No | -Arizona Corporation Commission's ban on utility disconnects has ended, but many providers are extending the hold on disconnects and are offering assistance to customers. Check with your provider. -Resources for individuals in Arizona. -Arizona utility assistance programs. | ||
Arkansas | No | No | ||
| (local ban information) | No | No | -Until June 30, 2022, California prohibited landlords from evicting tenants who earn less than 80% of the area median income and who had submitted a completed application for rental relief before March 31, 2022. The ban has ended, and tenants who applied for rental relief before March 31 can now be evicted. -Some cities and counties still have eviction bans in place. See California Eviction Moratorium (Bans) and Tenant Protections for more information. -The CPUC's website has details about consumer protections relating to utilities during the COVID-19 outbreak. | |
| No | No | -COVID-19 Eviction Defense Project -You can get current information about utility assistance programs on the PUC's website. -Colorado's Emergency Housing Assistance Program (EHAP). | ||
| No | No | -Connecticut's UniteCT (emergency rental assistance program). | ||
No | No | |||
No | No | -The city council has passed permanent tenant protection laws. -Low-income renters might be eligible for D.C.'s Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP). | ||
| No | No | -Florida Housing's COVID-19 Information and Resources. | ||
| No | No | -Georgia Rental Assistance Program. -Georgia utility assistance programs. | ||
| No | No | -Resources for emergency rental assistance in Hawaii. | ||
| No | No | -Idaho emergency rental assistance. -Landlords and tenants in Ada County who are involved in an eviction for nonpayment of rent will be invited to negotiate an agreement through an online portal. -For financial and other assistance, the Idaho Public Utilities Commission has a county-specific resource guide. | ||
| No | No | -Tenants and landlords might be able to get assistance through the Illinois Rental Payment Program (ILRPP). | ||
| No | No | |||
Iowa | No | No | -Iowa Rent and Utility Assistance Program. -Rent and utility assistance for residents of Polk County and the City of Des Moines. | |
No | No | -Kansas Emergency Rental Assistance (KERA). | ||
No | No | -Kentucky's Healthy at Home Eviction Relief Fund. | ||
| No | No | -Louisiana's Emergency Rental Assistance Program. -For information on utilities, visit the Louisiana Public Service Commission's website. -Louisiana Law Help is regularly updating its website with COVID-19 information for Louisiana residents. | ||
| No | No | -Maine's Emergency Rent Relief Program. | ||
No | No | -Maryland's Emergency Rental Assistance Program. | ||
No | No | -Information and resources for renters and landlords. -Massachusetts state resources for renters. -For utility information, see the DPU list of utility assistance resources. | ||
| No | No | -See Michigan's COVID Emergency Rental Assistance (CERA) for information about rental assistance. | ||
| No | No | -Information about utility assistance. | ||
| No | No | |||
| No | No | |||
| No | No | -Renters can seek relief from the Montana Emergency Rental Assistance program. -Visit the Montana Public Service Commission's website to locate your utility service provider's website and find out about status. | ||
| No | No | -Nebraska emergency rental assistance program. -More information and resources available from Nebraska Legal Aid. | ||
| No | No | -Tenants might be able to delay eviction by showing proof that they have applied for rental assistance. See the Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada's website for more information. | ||
| No | No | |||
| No | No | -See New Jersey Eviction Moratorium Information + Question Form for information on how to prevent an eviction. -New Jersey emergency rental assistance program. -New Jersey utility assistance programs. | ||
| No | No | |||
No | No | -New York emergency rental assistance program. -See DPS's website for FAQs and information about utilities. -Apply for New York Heating and Cooling Assistance (HEAP) program here. | ||
No | No | |||
| No | No | |||
| No | No | -Ohio Home Relief Grant (for landlords and tenants). -Ohio Public Utilities Commission's information on utility plans. | ||
| No | No | |||
| No | No | -Oregon emergency rental assistance. -Information about utilities in Oregon. | ||
| No | No | |||
| No | No | |||
| No | No | -South Carolina SCStay program (COVID-19 housing assistance). -SC Housing's list of resources for rental assistance. | ||
| No | No | -South Dakota CARES Housing Assistance Program. -Check South Dakota PUC website for resources related to utilities. | ||
| No | No | -Tennessee Housing Development's list of energy assistance programs for renters. -Tennessee Office of the Courts' list of eviction resources. | ||
| No | No | -The Texas Supreme Court extended some renter protections through December 31, 2022. -TXU Energy is offering customer support resources. | ||
| No | No | -Utah Home Energy Assistance Target (HEAT) Program. -Utah Housing Assistance Program. | ||
| No | No | -See Vermont Legal Aid's website for details about evictions in Vermont. | ||
No | No | |||
| No | No | -Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission's information on COVID-19 utility assistance. -Washington mortgage relief and assistance information. | ||
| No | No | -Legal Aid of WV's COVID resources page. | ||
| Wisconsin | No | No | -Wisconsin Rental Assistance Program. | |
| No | No | -Wyoming Emergency Rental Assistance Program. |
Other Resources:
- Sources of Coronavirus Assistance for Landlords and Tenants: A list of federal, state, local, non-profit, and private sources of financial assistance and other resources for both tenants and landlords.
- The National Low Income Housing Coalition has an Emergency Rental Assistance Dashboard where you can look up local sources of rental assistance.
- If you need to find out the median income where you live to see if you qualify for certain types of assistance, you can use Fannie Mae's Area Median Income Lookup Tool.
Updated: December 19, 2022
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