Getting evicted? Here’s how to get help on the Mississippi Coast.
Tenants laid off because of the COVID-19 pandemic could be eligible to stay in their rental properties because of a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention moratorium on evictions that runs through 2020.
The moratorium, which housing advocates say is the first of its kind from the CDC, is designed to slow the spread of COVID-19. People forced into crowded living spaces or homelessness would be more likely to spread the illness, the CDC says.
CARES Act funding has so far helped keep down evictions during the COVID-19 pandemic, said Harrison County Justice Court Judge Melvin Ray.
Ray and constables in Harrison County say evictions, which go through Justice Court, are lower than normal. Ray said the CDC moratorium should continue to keep evictions down.
Below, find answers about how the CDC moratorium works. Housing advocates are waiting to see if the moratorium will face legal challenges.
Meanwhile, landlords or property owners who violate the moratorium can face a fine of up to $100,000 and up to a year in jail. If a death results from the violation, the fine is $250,000.
When does the CDC moratorium apply?
The CDC has suspended evictions for covered tenants from Friday through Dec. 31, 2020.
Who qualifies for the eviction moratorium?
The order covers tenants or residents of residential property who provide a declaration form to their landlord that the following information is true. (Perjury penalties can apply to anyone falsely claiming the information is true.)
▪ The tenant has made their best efforts to secure available housing assistance.
▪ One of these income conditions applies: Earnings are no more than $99,000 for 2020 ($198,000 if filing a joint tax return), the tenant reported no income to the Internal Revenue Service for 2019 or the tenant received a stimulus check under the CARES Act.
▪ The tenant is unable to pay full rent because of substantial loss of household income, a layoff or extraordinary out-of-pocket medical expenses.
▪ The tenant is trying to make timely payments as close as possible to the full amount of rent due.
▪ Eviction would leave the tenant homeless or force them into close quarters in a shared living situation because no other housing options are available.
What exceptions still allow evictions?
The moratorium does not relieve tenants of their obligation to pay rent. Landlords can still charge or collect fees, and apply penalties and interest, for failure to pay as the lease agreement dictates.
Tenants can still be evicted for the following reasons:
▪ Engaging in criminal activity on the property.
▪ Threatening the health and safety of other residents.
▪ Damaging property or posing an immediate threat of damage.
▪ Violating building codes or health ordinances.
▪ Failing to meet the lease agreement, other than nonpayment or late payment of rent and/or penalties.
Rental assistance on the MS Gulf Coast
▪ In the six South Mississippi counties, call the Open Doors Homeless Coalition, which has CARES Act and other federal funding for rental assistance, at 228-604-2048. You can call anytime and leave a message if there nobody answers. The call should be returned within two business days.
Applicants will be asked to provide proof of need through an eviction notice or other documentation and loss of income due to COVID-19.
▪ In Hancock County, rental assistance also is available through the Hancock Resource Center. Call 228-463-8887 and leave a message if nobody answers. The call will be returned as soon a possible. You can also apply online by filling out the center’s assessment card at this address.
This story was originally published September 4, 2020 at 2:43 PM.
