News release:
Bridgeport City Council President Aidee Nieves proposed a new emergency resolution to temporarily halt evictions for residential and commercial tenants affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, to provide rental relief to Bridgeport residents and tenants in need during this moment of crisis. Cities across the country including Baltimore, Miami, and San Francisco have adopted similar temporary bans on evictions, but Bridgeport would be Connecticut’s first city to propose such a resolution.
“The economic impacts of COVID-19 will be significant for many of our residential and commercial tenants in Bridgeport,” said City Council President Aidee Neives. “The proposed emergency resolution aims to provide relief to those who are most vulnerable to eviction and possible homelessness during this challenging time. The State has taken immediate and significant action to protect renters, but our residents may need more time to recover from this unprecedented moment in history. We are proposing that the State of CT extend their stay of evictions to give our residents more time to deal with this crisis. We also want landlords to be a part of the process by educating their renters and tenants about their rights and the new timelines for payment and eviction. Banks and landlords have received substantial relief from the federal and state government, renters deserve relief too and, in most cases need it the most.”
The emergency resolution would be retroactive to March 10, 2020, when Gov. Ned Lamont declared a State of Emergency and would call on the State of Connecticut Superior Court to extend its current stay of all issued executions on evictions and ejectments through November 30, 2020 in order to give city renters and tenants impacted by the current crisis time to address these issues.
City Council President Nieves announcement comes on the heels of Governor Ned Lamont’s announcement this week that his administration has reached an agreement with over 50 credit unions and banks in Connecticut to offer mortgage relief to the state’s residents and businesses who continue to face hardship caused by the global COVID-19 pandemic. That agreement included a 90-day grace period for all mortgage payments, no new foreclosures for 60 days, relief from fees and charges for 90 days and no credit score changes for accessing relief. On March 20, the Superior Court of the State of Connecticut ordered an immediate stay of all issued executions on evictions and ejectments through May 1, 2020; however, landlords can still file new eviction cases.
In addition to these measures in Connecticut, the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development announced that it’s suspending all evictions and foreclosures until the end of April. The Federal Housing Finance Agency directed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to do the same for a minimum of 60 days. The CARES Act puts a 120-day eviction moratorium in place nationally for tenants in properties that are part of government programs or that have a federally backed mortgage loan.
If a tenant is unable to pay rent between March 10 and June 30, due to a reduction in income caused by COVID-19, they would be required to notify their landlords that rent will not be paid on time. Tenants would then be required to provide documentation of substantial income losses caused by job layoffs, out-of-pocket medical expenses or requirements to stay at home due to COVID-19. Protected tenants would have until November 30 to pay all delayed rent to their landlords without incurring late charges. Through June 30, landlords issuing notifications for rental nonpayment notifications must include information about the state’s emergency stay so that tenants are aware of their rights.
For the latest information on COVID-19, with details on all that the City of Bridgeport is doing to keep our residents safe, visit https://www.bridgeportct.gov and follow @CityofBptCT on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Language of the Bridgeport City Council resolution is below for your reference. It was submitted for consideration this week.
RESOLUTION
Support for an Extension of the State’s Temporary Suspension of Eviction Actions
Whereas, the City of Bridgeport and the State of Connecticut is facing an unprecedented civil preparedness and public health emergency; and
Whereas, due to the coronavirus (“COVID-19”), Declarations of federal, state and local public states of emergency and associated Executive Orders have been issued by the respective chief executive officers; and
Whereas, city and state residents, renters and tenants are facing enormous and unprecedented financial challenges in response to loss of employment and other direct and indirect impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Whereas, Governor Ned Lamont has announced that his administration has reached an agreement with over fifty (50) credit unions and banks operating in Connecticut to offer mortgage relief to the state’s residents and businesses who continue to face hardship caused by the global COVID-19 pandemic.
Whereas, the Governor’s agreement includes a ninety (90) day grace period for all mortgage payments, no new foreclosure actions for sixty (60) days, relief from late payment fees and charges for ninety (90) days and no credit score adjustments for accessing such relief.
Whereas, on the federal level, the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”) announced that it is suspending all evictions and foreclosures until the end of April 2020; the Federal Housing Finance Agency directed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to do the same for a minimum of sixty (60) days; and the CARES Act puts a one-hundred and twenty (120) day eviction moratorium in place nationally for tenants in properties that are part of government programs or that have a federally backed mortgage loan.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED: that the City Council of the City of Bridgeport, as the local legislative body, calls upon and urges the State of Connecticut Superior Court to extend its current stay of all issued executions on evictions and ejectments through November 30, 2020 in order to provide state and local residential and commercial renters and tenants impacted by the current crisis fair, just and reasonable time to regain financial stability and to address these arrears financial obligations occasioned by this unforeseen, unprecedented and universal economic crisis.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: that the Bridgeport City Council supports and urges additional State action to ensure temporary rental relief to Bridgeport residents and tenants in need during this moment of crisis by staying obligations to timely make rental payments under certain COVID-19 created financial conditions, substantially as follows:
· Through June 30, 2020 all residential and commercial landlords issuing notifications for rental nonpayment must include clear notice and written information concerning the availability of the State’s emergency stay on foreclosures and rental payments so that tenants are fully aware of their legal rights.
· In the event a residential commercial renter or tenant is unable to pay rent between March 10 and June 30, due to a reduction in income caused by COVID-19, person or entity would be required to notify their landlord that rent will not be paid timely.
· Renters or tenants would be required to provide documentation reasonably sufficient to evidence substantial income losses caused by job layoffs, unpaid furloughs, out-of-pocket medical expenses or requirements to stay-at-home due to COVID-19.
· Protected renters or tenants would be granted until November 30, 2020 to pay all arrears rent to their landlords without incurring late charges or being exposed to foreclosure actions.
Lennie, have you seen Mayor Ganim’s new TV and about staying home? Ganim is sitting on the steps inside City Hall and he has different city workers speaking. Lennie could you find out how much the ad cost and who is paying for it?
Ron
I think Howard Safrin has agreed to pay for it if the city agrees to pay him $4.5 million (plus additional cost overruns), forget all penalties for not opening on time and all other costs as he sees fit.
Many Bridgeport rental properties are owned by out of state landlords, who will never hear Aidee Nieves’ request.
That’s true but Mayor Ganim has the ability through different City departments suck as the Town Clerk, Tax Assessor and the Tax Collector’s Office.
Start by Freezing Taxes Too!
To use current jargon, you mean Flatten the tax Curve too, right?
While I certainly understand the need for this resolution to keep renters in their homes, I think it’s a little unfair to those home owners who rent out a portion of their home while living in another portion of their home. They are given until May 1st by the State of Connecticut, until April 30th by HUD yet this resolution proposes to exempt renters until November. What are those landlords that live in the home that they rent out to do when they have to make mortgage payments without the money from their tenants? You’re asking for a higher standard of commitment from those landlords than you are asking from the State or the Federal Government which had infinitely more money at its disposal than your average landlord.
Let me say once again, I see the need because these are trying times, but more of the councils energy should be placed on the deep pockets of the State and Federal Government than on a landlord that’s just trying to get through this mess just like the tenant you’re trying to protect.
Ask Howard Safin. He’s a renter!!! Oh that’s right. He hasn’t paid a dime of rent.
I would like to check every person who works for the city’s WPCA for Antibodies that may affect or kill this Virus.
Will antibodies ever go away? A question often asked after clearance of the virus, also known as achieving an SVR (sustained viral response) is “What happens to the antibodies”? Unfortunately, the antibody is with the patient for life. It does NOT go away.
I saw on the Post website three arrests were made for littering. One vehicle was held because it was uninsured and unregistered. What about the other two?
Once again Ganim is all talk and no show. Impound the vehicles and the dumping will significantly decrease.
Let the vehicles go and the dumping goes on.