Governor Sisolak announced a 45-day extension of the eviction moratorium on Monday.
In a press conference, he said the moratorium extension will allow for counties to pay out short-term rental assistance to landlords. It will also provide courts more time to implement the newly-created residential eviction mediation program and develop electronic filing options.
The extension will also help the state continue to make progress on reduction the backlog of unemployment claims through the Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation (DETR).
Gov. Sisolak said $10 million is being allocated toward the rental assistance program and that money goes directly to landlords on behalf of tenants.
He said there will be a meeting scheduled to approval rules to the eviction mediation program before the end of September.
Gov. Sisolak also mentioned a new pilot program to help residents verify their identities easier for unemployment insurance, called "ID Me." He said 5,000 people who have been waiting will be paid this coming week, and 200 part-time welfare workers began training to help with the backlog.
"It's critical that landlords and tenants work together," Gov. Sisolak said, "We're exploring our options."
He says officials are concerned for the upcoming Labor Day weekend and are urging residents to keep social gatherings small and to follow social distancing protocols.
"Now is not the time to let up," Sisolak said, "Don't have a BBQ in your backyard with 50 or 100 of your friends."
Related:
Nevada REALTORS® (NVR) issued the following statement from NVR President Chris Bishop:
“On behalf of Nevada REALTORS® and our more than 18,000 members throughout the state, we are very disappointed in Gov. Sisolak’s decision today to extend the state’s eviction moratorium for another 45 days.
We recognize that thousands of Nevadans may be facing eviction because they have lost their jobs or had their incomes reduced since this pandemic and economic downturn began in March. We understand and sympathize with their situation. We also appreciate the many property owners and tenants throughout the state who have been working together to find individual solutions during these trying times.
However, this extension creates a tremendous hardship for thousands of property owners in Nevada, who are now unable to collect the rent they are owed for at least another 45 days. Many of these property owners are retirees, people living on fixed incomes and mom-and-pop landlords who own one or two homes and rely on this rental income to support themselves and their families. Many of them will now have no recourse or way to cover their own expenses.
To make matters worse, Gov. Sisolak’s decision only gives these property owners less than a day’s notice to determine what to do next.
Nevertheless, NVR will continue working with Gov. Sisolak and others to create a pathway for Nevada property owners to access the courts and mitigate damages, while doing everything possible to keep tenants in their homes and make sure homeowners have the ability to pay their mortgage.”
The Nevada State Apartment Association released this statement from NVSAA Executive Director Susy Vasquez:
“Apartment complexes in Nevada are more than landlords. They are communities, and it takes a village to maintain and operate these communities. Impacts to our industry trickle down to small business owners, service providers, product suppliers and trades.
Rent payments allow us to keep properties staffed and actively managed to house and protect our residents from exposure to COVID-19. However, there is a population of renters who are not eligible for pandemic-related assistance and therefore should not have been included and allowed to benefit from this 45-day extension. Continuing to protect those who are not financially impacted by the pandemic and who have the means to pay rent is very irresponsible.
We stand with our residents, developers, owners and operators as we navigate these challenging times and encourage flexibility to ensure community needs are met. We have and will remain transparent and open to finding solutions. We wish Gov. Sisolak’s office had included us in the conversation and hope there will be improved communication going forward.”
