TX Supreme Court Rules for Renters in Win for Working People
HOUSTON — After months of advocating for rent relief at the local, state and federal level, Houston-area unions today celebrated a win for working people after the release of a Texas Supreme Court order expanding protections for renters in Texas under the federal eviction moratorium.
Texas Gulf Coast Area Labor Federation Executive Director Hany Khalil said: “Pandemic-generated unemployment is causing an eviction crisis, and Houston leads the country in evictions. We are thankful that the federal government finally took action, but the CDC order was poorly written, allowing landlords to continue evicting many working people who should have been protected. The Court did the right thing today; now city, county, and state officials must act to fill the gaps in the CDC order so we can keep everyone housed.”
The Texas Supreme Court ruling sets out much needed clearer procedures for the way the US Center for Disease Control (CDC) declaration will be considered in eviction proceedings. It includes a requirement that landlords must provide tenants a copy of the CDC declaration that tenants can file with their landlords early in the eviction process.
The CDC order, which went into effect on September 4th, suspends evictions for covered tenants through December 31st. However, it has been inconsistently applied throughout Texas. Reports have shown that many renters covered by the order are still being evicted, and most tenants are unaware that the federal eviction moratorium is in effect.
To qualify for the moratorium, renters must make less than $99,000, or have received a stimulus check, and they must have lost income as a result of the pandemic. They must also send a letter to their landlords declaring they’re eligible for the moratorium, or else the eviction can proceed.
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The Texas Gulf Coast Area Labor Federation (TGCALF), AFL-CIO unites the power of 95 unions representing 60,000 union members across 13 counties to advocate for working families in the Texas Gulf Coast. We mobilize our members and community partners to demand a fair shot at better lives for all working people — regardless of the color of our skin, which country we come from, or whom we love. Learn more: www.gcaflcio.org/
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