Dr. Ben Carson on White House to halt evictions through April amid COVID-19 outbreak
Coronavirus task force member Dr. Ben Carson, Housing and Urban Development secretary, joins ‘America’s News HQ.’
Get all the latest news on coronavirus and more delivered daily to your inbox. Sign up here.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has ordered a two-month delay on evictions for those who can't pay their rent due to coronavirus, effective immediately.
Other states have taken similar action to protects renters who may be unable to work due to the health crisis, including New York, Michigan, Illinois, Louisiana and New Jersey.
CLICK HERE FOR FULL CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE
Newsom's executive order, enacted Friday, requires tenants to retain documentation and file a declaration, no more than seven days after rent is due, stating that they cannot pay due to the coronavirus.
TRUMP SAYS HUD WILL SUSPEND 'ALL FORECLOSURES AND EVICTIONS' AMID COVID-19 OUTBREAK
Newsom had previously authorized local governments to halt evictions, slow foreclosures and protect households against utility shutoffs. The new order builds off those steps, creating blanket protections for renters statewide.
“People shouldn’t lose or be forced out of their home because of the spread of COVID-19,” Newsom said. “Over the next few weeks, everyone will have to make sacrifices – but a place to live shouldn’t be one of them.”
While the order stops evictions, it does not prevent back-due rent, which will be due after the order is lifted.
RENT STRIKES ACROSS US DURING CORONAVIRUS COALESCING INTO MOVEMENT
The order is more restrictive than those of other states, such as New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s move to halt all evictions for 90 days.
With unemployment on the rise, many people across the nation have started to demand a rent strike, with movements growing in several states and across social media.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FOX NEWS APP
The California order will remain in effect through May 31.
The hottest stories ripped from the headlines, from crime to courts, legal and scandal.
