NY Extends Commercial Eviction Moratorium Until Next Year

Gov. Andrew Cuomo has thrown small businesses another lifeline, extending the ban on commercial evictions and foreclosures until next year.

The state’s moratorium on commercial evictions and foreclosures is now in place through Jan. 1, 2021, Cuomo announced Tuesday, and it extends the protections that have already been in place through an executive order.

"The health and economic impacts of this pandemic have been devastating, and we are continuing to do everything we can to support people who are suffering," Cuomo said in a statement. "We are going to extend the commercial eviction and foreclosure moratorium through January 1st. That will now align with our residential eviction moratorium so they are both extended to the same date."

The moratoriums on residential and commercial evictions were first enacted at the start of the crisis in March, and have each been extended multiple times.

Still, it’s not a complete ban — commercial evictions that were already in place before March 17 have been allowed to go forward since the first week of September, The Real Deal reported. New York City has undergone a phased reopening since the summer, but there are still few tourists and office workers back frequenting stores and restaurants.

Most bars and restaurants were unable to pay full rent in August, according to a recent survey from the NYC Hospitality Alliance, and there are predictions many will close before the year is out.

Meanwhile, some businesses in the city have been forced to close again amid spikes in cases. The state government issued a mandate earlier this month requiring businesses and schools in some parts of Brooklyn and Queens with coronavirus clusters to shut down temporarily, but on Wednesday, Cuomo said some businesses in certain cluster areas could reopen.