Evictions

Governor Cuomo signed an extension of the COVID-19 Emergency Eviction and Foreclosure Prevention Act prohibiting evictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic until August 31, 2021.

Tenants who have experienced financial hardship or for whom moving from their home would pose a hardship during the COVID-19 pandemic, including those who were facing an eviction proceeding or who received a judgment or warrant of eviction, may not be evicted through August 31, 2021 by providing a completed Hardship Declaration to their landlord.

You can download a Hardship Declaration in English or in Spanish.

Although these protections may prevent a landlord from evicting a tenant, a landlord can still file a proceeding against a tenant in Housing Court and a court can still allow the landlord to take other legal action to collect unpaid rent from the tenant. 

You cannot be evicted for nonpayment or any other reason unless the court has issued a Warrant of Eviction. Only a Marshal or Sheriff can carry out a warrant and remove tenants from their home. Landlords cannot lock out tenants.

Your landlord can still collect rent as scheduled; there is no rent suspension at this time.

Get Help

If you have questions about the eviction moratorium, the COVID financial hardship law, or other legal issues, you can contact the City's Tenant Helpline. The Mayor's Office to Protect Tenants (MOPT) can help you with questions about your tenancy and connect you with free legal assistance through the Human Resources Administration’s Office of Civil Justice. For more information, visit the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and Tenants page.

Court Operations

New York State courts are open and offering limited in-person assistance for health and safety reasons.

New York City Housing Court is currently open for emergency cases, including if you:

• Are locked out of your home without a court order
• Need emergency repairs
• Need critical services like heat or hot water 

You can start an emergency case online or by phone. Courthouses are open to people who need in-person assistance. 

For the most up-to-date information on court operations, check the Housing Court website.

For visitor screening and safety rules and other COVID-19 information, visit the NYCOURTS website. You can also call the Coronavirus Hotline at (833) 503-0447.

If You Have Been Served With Papers

Tenants who have not yet answered a nonpayment petition filed against them must file an answer with the court. Failure to answer an eviction petition could lead to a default judgment against a tenant, which can lead to eviction. A tenant who receives a petition for a Housing Court eviction case does not need to go to the courthouse to respond in person.

If you have received an eviction petition or other Housing Court papers, HRA’s Office of Civil Justice can provide free legal services under the City’s Right-to-Counsel law to help you with your case. You can contact the City’s Tenant Helpline to connect with free legal services. For more information, visit the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and Tenants page.

For help answering your case, you can call Housing Court Answers at (212) 962-4795.

You can also call Housing Court's emergency phone numbers daily from 9 AM to 5 PM. Leave a message with your phone number and a court attorney will return your call.