CDC's Latest Eviction Moratorium - Applies to Counties with Red / Orange COVID on Map

On August 3, 2021, CDC issued its latest eviction moratorium to address the rise of the Delta variant. 

Here is what landlords and tenants need to know about the moratorium:

1. It only applies to residential housing;
2. The moratorium only applies where tenant(s) provide a declaration to their landlord(s);
3. The Declaration is available here;
4. The Declaration requires a sworn statement that the tenant(s):
1. Have used best efforts to obtain all available governmental assistance; 
2. Earned <=$99,000 in Calendar Year 2020 ($198,000 if filing jointly) with other financial options to qualify;
3. Can't pay full rent because of stated work issues;
4. Making best efforts to pay as much as possible of rent; 
5. Would likely be homeless as a result of eviction; &
6. Resides in substantial / high COVID county.
5. Evictions are permitted for the following reasons:
1. Engaging in criminal activity while on the premises;
2. Threatening the health or safety of other residents;
3. Damaging or posing an immediate & significant risk of damage to property;
4. Violating any applicable building code, health ordinance, or similar regulation relating to health & safety; or
5. Violating any other contractual obligation (other than rent payment). 
6. Criminal penalties for violating this moratorium include a fine of <=$100,000 or one year in jail or both (<=$200,000 for organizations that violate the order). 

The counties subject to this Order can be found here - remember, the county must be an orange (substantial) or red (high) county for the moratorium to be applicable.

New NYS Law Changes Voting Requirements for Nonprofits Consolidation, Mergers, & Dissolution

A new NYS law is about to make it much harder for a nonprofit to consolidate, merge, or dissolve. 

Previously, only a simple majority vote was required, but effective 10/31/2021, S3265 will require a two-thirds vote.

Clearly, this new legislation will make it much harder for not-for-profit corporations to consolidate, merge, or dissolve.

Do you agree that nonprofits should have to go through a bigger hurdle to dissolve? 

Lieb Quoted in Newsday Article on Section 8 Vouchers & Discrimination

Check out Maura McDermott's Newsday article, Ruling: Suffolk complex broke law spurning Section 8 housing vouchers.

In the article, I'm quoted as saying that "Starting in September, a new state law requires state agencies and nonprofits that administer housing subsidies to give recipients written notice about their fair-housing rights" and that "fair-housing enforcement has become a higher priority at the local, state and federal level, which he said was prompted by Newsday’s 2019 Long Island Divided project, a three-year investigation into housing bias."

The article is about how Long Island Housing Services filed suit after "its testers were told the complex did not accept federal housing-choice subsidies, also known as Section 8 vouchers."

Do you think we should have more testers in society to route out housing discrimination?

Who should pay for these testers?

In the article, it said that Long Island Housing Services paid $23,855 for the testors - that's a lot of $$$

John Oliver Tackles Fair Housing - Newsday's Long Island Divided is on HBO

If you still don't understand that housing discrimination happens or if you are confused about the long term impacts of discrimination, you need to watch this great explanation of housing discrimination on HBO by John Oliver - it's a must watch for anyone who doesn't understand that housing discrimination from yesterday impacts lives today. 

Alternatively, here is The Lieb Cast tackling the same issue on our podcast back on January 31, 2021. 

Who does the topic better; Lieb or Oliver?

Shouldn't John have Lieb on his show?

What do you think?

New Requirements for Brookhaven ZBA

The Town of Brookhaven has issued new requirements for its Board of Zoning Appeals members (Town Code at Chapter 85).

Now, members of the ZBA must: 

• Attend a minimum of 4 seminars/courses of certified education training in both planning and ethics with a minimum of 2 seminars in each area; & 

• Attend all public meetings with no greater than 4 absences from such meetings being permitted within each year.

If a current board member fails to comply with these new requirements, they may be removed from the board following a public hearing. 

Based on these new requirements, the Brookhaven ZBA is becoming a much more professional administrative body. 

Do you think other towns, villages, and cities should follow suit?

Educating those who make important decisions about our communities is definitely something that we can support. Do you?