Empty streets on the upper east side of Manhattan as citizens practice social distancing. Photo: Ryland West/ALM

Some state lawmakers are aiming to bolster tenant protections as New York remains in the throes of a coronavirus pandemic that has killed thousands of people statewide.

The measure would prevent landlords from evicting tenants for not paying rent that accumulates during the state's declared disaster emergency and during a six-month window after the end of the emergency.

The proposal is backed by Sen. Liz Krueger and the chairs of the judiciary committees in both legislative chambers—Assemblymember Jeffrey Dinowitz and Sen. Brad Hoylman.

Efforts to slow the spread of the coronavirus have upended New York's economy, shuttering businesses across the state and wreaking financial havoc for certain industries. New York state has issued orders requiring all nonessential workers to stay home, along with other restrictions that sharply curtail gatherings.

"The COVID-19 pandemic, and the associated economic crisis it has caused, have created the potential for widespread evictions beyond anything our state has seen since the Great Depression," Krueger said in a statement. 

New York declared a state disaster emergency March 7.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday the state saw its highest single-day death toll, with 779 new deaths tied to the coronavirus. There are more than 6,200 deaths tied to the virus in New York and upward of 149,000 people have been infected statewide, according to state figures.

Cuomo last month signed an executive order issuing a 90-day moratorium on the eviction of any residential or commercial tenant, along with the foreclosure of residential or commercial properties. 

The third-term Democrat issued the order by taking advantage of his expanded executive power, which state lawmakers afforded him through a legislative bill earlier this year. The move allows the governor to issue directives during a state of emergency, instead of simply suspending laws that might impede the response to an emergency disaster, according to legal experts.

Hoylman's office says tenants who cannot pay rent might face evictions after the 90 days. Hoylman, a Manhattan Democrat, said in a statement that the executive order is a good first step, but more is needed. Under the legislation, his office says landlords would be able to seek "money judgments" for rent that has not been paid.

"Unless we act, we'll see a tidal wave of evictions immediately after the moratorium ends," he said in a statement.

Dinowitz issued a similar warning as well, saying in a statement that the 90-day eviction moratorium is a "ticking time bomb" for tenants who have lost all income, particularly if they have significant expenses. 

"I urge all legislators to unite behind this proposal to ensure tenants' safe harbor during this pandemic," he said in a statement.

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