ADVERTISEMENT

    Here’s the Latest on Eviction Moratoriums, Rent Freezes and Mortgage Breaks in Columbus

    Since the spread of COVID-19 first began impacting our lives and livelihoods, there has been a steady stream of news, opinions and (virtual) protests concerning evictions, rent freezes and mortgage payments. It can be confusing to sort it all out, especially given how complicated and little-understood these processes are to many people even in normal times.

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Here is the latest on what has actually changed in terms of policy – at the federal, state and local level – and what that means for those local renters and homeowners who may be struggling to pay their rent or mortgage, or are worried about their ability to do so in the future.

    For Renters

    The first thing to know about the current state of eviction law and policy in Columbus is that, although eviction hearings are suspended for the time being, evictions are not. That means your landlord can still file an eviction notice against you for nonpayment of rent. For now, though, your landlord can’t take you to court any time soon to enforce it, nor can they make any attempt to remove you from the property (and that includes shutting off your utilities).

    On March 16, the Franklin County Municipal Court announced that all hearings would be stayed for at least the next eight weeks. Eviction hearings that were already pending are currently being rescheduled.

    City Councilmember Shayla Favor recently posted a video on the subject on social media, and stressed that “while eviction hearings are suspended, you still have an obligation to pay rent as normal…if you’re not able to keep up with rent payments, you should talk to your landlord and attempt to reach an agreement in writing.”

    “If your landlord does attempt to remove you either physically or by shutting off your utiliy services,” she added, call the police non-emergency line (614-645-4545) or contact the Legal Aid Society of Columbus.

    Although many elected officials were encouraging people to utilize the Franklin County Department of Job and Family Services’ COVID-19 Response PRC Program, which launched on April 2, the initial funding for that was exhausted within 24 hours. Check the program’s website for updates and additional resources.

    With unprecedented unemployment claims and the likelihood that the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic will stretch on for months, many grassroots organizations and local leaders around the country have called for stronger eviction protections, such as a ban on eviction filings or a rent freeze.

    There may be legal hurdles to such an approach in Columbus, though. Favor said that she has personally advocated for a “complete moratorium on all evictions, but unfortunately the law is clear – the opinion of the city attorney’s office is that a filing moratorium is not allowed” 

    She added, though, that “we are still awaiting possible intervention from the state of Ohio.”

    Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed an executive order on April 1 that called on commercial landlords to suspend rent payments and to “provide for a moratorium of evictions of small business commercial tenants” for a period of 90 days.

    The order is written more as a request – it does not impose any penalties for noncompliance, and explicitly states that “nothing in this order shall be construed to negate the obligation of a small business commercial tenant to pay rent or restrict a landlord from recovering rent at a future time.”

    It is not clear if the state is contemplating a similar order for residential tenants.

    At the federal level, the CARES Act established a 120-day moratorium on all eviction filings for federally-assisted housing, which includes apartments built with low-income housing tax credits as well as properties insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA). The National Housing Law Project has published a list of the types of properties covered by the legislation.

    For Owners

    There have been policy changes on the national level that will impact local homeowners. On March 18, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced a 60-day foreclosure moratorium that applies to mortgages backed by the FHA, Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac.

    Much like the actions taken so far on evictions, the moratorium does not mean that you don’t need to pay your mortgage, only that your property won’t be foreclosed on for nonpayment in the immediate future.

    The Legal Aid Society of Columbus has posted an info sheet on the policy that describes how to find out if your mortgage is covered:

    • To find out if you have an FHA-insured mortgage call (800) 569-4287
    • To find out if you have a Fannie Mae-insured mortgage, go to knowyouroptions.com
    • To find out if you have a Freddie Mac-insured mortgage, go to freddiemac.com

    If you find you are not covered by the moratorium and are worried about covering your mortgage payment, Legal Aid suggests that you “contact your loan servicer right away…you may be eligible to request forbearance, a loan modification or other types of mortgage assistance.”

    The federal government is encouraging lenders to give homeowners who have lost income because of the coronavirus crisis a break on their mortgage by allowing non-payment or reduced payment for up to one year.

    American Electric Power, Columbia Gas and most internet providers have all agreed to suspend disconnections during the coronavirus outbreak, and the city announced that it will not shut off anyone’s water or electricity.

    Keep up with regular news updates regarding Columbus and Ohio’s response to COVID-19 here.

    For more information on COVID-19 in Ohio, visit coronavirus.ohio.gov or call 1-833-4-ASK-ODH.

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Subscribe

    More to Explore:

    CCAD Wants to Uncover Historic Building, Fill in Parking Lot

    The Columbus College of Art & Design has submitted...

    Updated: Madison County Solar Farm Would Be One of the Largest in U.S.

    UPDATE (3/21/24): The Ohio Power Siting Board voted seven...

    Before and After: Gay Street

    Last month, the City of Columbus and other partners...

    COTA Hires New CEO

    Just over a month after Joanna Pinkerton announced she...
    Brent Warren
    Brent Warrenhttps://columbusunderground.com/author/brent-warren
    Brent Warren is a staff reporter for Columbus Underground covering urban development, transportation, city planning, neighborhoods, and other related topics. He grew up in Grandview Heights, lives in the University District and studied City and Regional Planning at OSU.
    ADVERTISEMENT