NY Commercial Eviction Moratorium Extended

NEW YORK CITY — Another batch of New York City tenants received a respite from eviction worries.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Thursday signed an executive order extending an eviction moratorium on coronavirus-related commercial evictions and foreclosures, according to a release.

"I am extending the State's moratorium on commercial evictions to ensure business owners across New York will not be forced to close as a result of the pandemic,” Cuomo said in a statement.

The extension likely will come as a relief for New York City businesses. Business has yet to fully bounce back to pre-pandemic levels and some sectors, notably restaurants and bars, still fall under strict coronavirus restrictions.

Restaurateurs on Wednesday called for city and state leaders to give them the go-ahead for a return to indoor dining, which has been on an indefinite pause for months. In July, 83 percent of eateries struggled to pay rent, they claimed.

Mayor Bill de Blasio on Thursday said he understands the business concerns from the restaurant industry, but experts caution against returning to indoor dining too soon.

“We are looking at it all the time because we know it means so much to everyday New Yorkers and particularly the folks that depend on it for their jobs, but we have to see a lot more improvement in fighting this virus before we could consider it because it's literally one of the most sensitive pieces of the whole equation,” he said. “So, no, there's not a timeline, but we're always asking ourselves the question, what would it take and can we get to that point?”

Residential renters who lost income because of coronavirus are protected from eviction under a recent state law. And those who faced eviction notices from before the pandemic fall under a moratorium that expires Oct. 1.