Referred to: The Economic Development, Tourism, Housing, Planning and Transit Committee (Chairman Cahill and Legislators Archer, Corcoran, Delaune, Litts, Maio, and Uchitelle)

Vice-Chairwoman of the Legislature, Tracey A. Bartels, offers the following:

          WHEREAS, the World Health Organization (“WHO”) has declared the COVID-19 outbreak a global pandemic, defined as the worldwide spread of a new virus for which most people do not have immunity; and

WHEREAS, on March 7, 2020, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo declared a state of emergency based on COVID-19; and

WHEREAS, as of May 22, 2020, there were over 356,458 documented cases of COVID-19 within the State of New York; and

WHEREAS, both Governor Cuomo and the New York State Department of Health have issued declarations banning non-essential employees from work, closing schools, and limiting public gatherings, as well as recommendations on social distancing, and other precautions to protect public health and prevent transmission of this communicable virus; and

WHEREAS, over half of tenants in New York State are rent-burdened during typical economic conditions, and as a result of the state of emergency and the government-recommended precautions, many tenants have experienced sudden income loss, and further income impacts are anticipated, leaving tenants vulnerable to eviction; and

WHEREAS, housing stability is crucial in a public health emergency in which containment and treatment rely on individuals staying indoors and not being forced to seek shelter or experience homelessness; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED, there shall be a temporary moratorium on evictions in the County of Ulster which shall remain in effect until 30 days after the date on which the declared state of emergency in New York ends; and, be it further

RESOLVED, during the moratorium no orders of eviction will be issued by any municipal court within the County of Ulster on the basis of non-payment, or for any other reason not directly related to an immediate or imminent substantial risk of harm to inhabitants of a specific premises; and, be it further

RESOLVED, during the moratorium, all law enforcement agencies within the County of Ulster will cease execution of all eviction orders, including those previously issued but not yet executed; and, be it further

RESOLVED, that after the termination of the moratorium and prior to issuance of any non-payment eviction judgements, all municipal courts within the County of Ulster will afford tenant with a period of 365 calendar days to cure any rent payment in arrears, provided that rent payments made post moratorium remain current; and, be it further

RESOLVED, that the Clerk of the Ulster County Legislature shall send a copy of this resolution to U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, U.S. Senator Charles Schumer, Governor Andrew Cuomo, New York State Senator Jennifer Metzger, New York State Assembly member Kevin Cahill, Senate Housing Chair Brian Kavanagh, Assembly Housing Chair Steven Cymbrowitz, the Ulster County Sheriff, and all courts and law enforcement agencies located within Ulster County,

and move its adoption.

ADOPTED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:

AYES:                       NOES:    

Passed Committee: Economic Development, Tourism, Housing, Planning and Transit on _______________.

FINANCIAL IMPACT:

NONE