(WXYZ) — The national moratorium on evictions was recently extended to keep all families suffering during the pandemic from ending up homeless, but there are warnings about loopholes in the new law.
Ayanna McClure pulled up to her apartment one day this past fall and saw painters taking everything out and putting in new locks.
The health aide told us she lost a month of work over the summer and had fallen behind on rent.
"There was no way I could come up with 2 or $3,000," she said.
"Ayanna is now staying at a local women's shelter, but said she was evicted despite the moratorium.
"I guess the first day he could file for eviction, he did it," she said.
She's not alone. Three days after Christmas, our team found Amanda Barger and all her belongings tossed out of her rented mobile home.
"I know this is a business, and you gotta pay your own way, but they could have a little kindness," Barger said.
The good news for renters behind on their payments, the national moratorium has been extended. The bad news, there are many reasons why a landlord can still legally kick you out.
"Disturbing your neighbor, not keeping the apartment clean, those kinds of tenant duties, you can still proceed with eviction for these reasons," Nick Dinardo of Legal Aid said.
He added that tenants need to know
- The eviction moratorium in not automatic
- You must submit a CDC form, which is on the CDC website
- The moratorium only applies to financial hardship
"There are plenty of people who are being evicted right now," he said.
