Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak placed a statewide eviction moratorium more than a year ago in an effort to keep people housed during the pandemic. That moratorium was lifted on Monday, but tenants may still be protected under the federal eviction ban.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s eviction ban was put in place last fall, and it will remain until the end of the month. During this time, landlords can serve eviction notices for non-payment of rent, but tenants cannot be removed from their homes.
“The CDC moratorium only protects against the actual eviction, so, yes, I think a tenant could receive an eviction notice, but they could not be evicted because of it. But if any tenant receives an eviction notice, they must respond. At this point, [they should] absolutely file something with the court, to let the court know that they are still protected under the moratorium,” Rhea Gertken, the co-director of litigation for Nevada Legal Services, explained.
In order to receive protections under the CDC’s eviction ban, tenants must fill out a declaration from the CDC and deliver it to their landlord if they haven’t done so already. If tenants do not have this form signed, they are no longer protected by Nevada’s eviction moratorium and can be evicted for non-payment of rent. Tenants can still sign the CDC’s form.
Gertken shared her recommendations.
“Be attentive to anything that you get, either eviction-notice wise or not, and apply for rental assistance,” Gertken said.
Under both eviction moratoriums, rent was still due. Tenants can still apply for rental assistance at this time.
Sisolak also signed Assembly Bill 486 on Tuesday, which aims to connect more people with rental assistance. Under the law, courts will be required to dismiss an eviction proceeding if rental assistance is pending or if a landlord refuses to accept the assistance. The law also allows some landlords to apply for rental assistance directly.
More information on rental assistance can be found here.
Lucia Starbuck is a corps member for Report for America, an initiative of the GroundTruth Project.
The photo included in this story is licensed under Flickr Creative Commons.