RTCNYC Statement on the Expiration of the Eviction Protections, January 15, 2022 

We strongly condemn the New York State Governor and the State Legislature for allowing the current COVID related eviction protections to expire.  It is a moral and political failure of grave consequences for the more than 225,000 households facing eviction in NYS during the largest surge in a deadly pandemic.  

Throughout the pandemic, we called on the legislature to enact a real eviction moratorium that would ban lawsuits and evictions alike.  Instead, the legislature allowed the blanket eviction moratorium to be watered down, cases to resume and thousands of evictions to continue.  Throughout the pandemic, we called on the legislature to cancel COVID related rental debt for tenants and create a landlord relief fund; instead they created only a landlord bailout.  The state has failed to meet the scale of the crisis. 

To the thousands of tenants who have gone on rent strike, mobilized at countless actions in the streets, called their legislators,  written powerful legislation and so much more: YOU ARE POWERFUL.  We have built a powerful movement in the past two years, stopping almost all evictions and building the groundwork for a city and state without them.  Our collective work and its impact is historic and it’s unstoppable. We will continue to organize for everything we deserve: a full Right to Counsel for all New Yorkers, a permanent ban on winter evictions, good cause eviction protections and a dignified home for everyone.

New York Tenants: 

1. DON'T MOVE OUT! FIGHT YOUR EVICTION! The expiration of the tenant protections on 1/15 DOES NOT MEAN YOU HAVE TO MOVE.  FIGHT TO STAY!  Learn More about your rights during COVID in our FAQ. 
2. Use Right to Counsel to fight your eviction.  NYC tenants: Call 718-557-1379 or 212-962-4795 from Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm to get connected to a RTC attorney. Remember that almost all tenants who fight their cases with an RTC attorney win. 
3. Support the fight for Right to Counsel for ALL NYS tenants:

   -Sign our petition urging the state legislature to pass Right to Counsel for ALL.

   -Come to our Town Hall on January 27th at 6:30pm to learn about the Right to Counsel for ALL legislation, why tenants need it statewide, and how having the RIGHT to a FREE lawyer can help stop evictions. 

   -Call your Assembly Member and Senator TODAY and make sure they sponsor our legislation for Statewide Right to Counsel! Find talking points here! 

4. Get involved with a local tenant organizing group to join the movement to fight for what we need.