AUSTIN (Talk1370.com) -- Calling it the "most effective means to promote public health and economic welfare" during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Travis County and City of Austin leaders announced an extension Thursday of a moratorium on evictions across the area.
The newly extended orders will now run through April 1.
Austin Mayor Steve Adler said the eviction protections are a key component of the region's COVID-19 strategy. "Since March, it's been almost a year now, our response to this virus has been driven by the priority of saving lives," Adler said. "As Judge Brown said, here in Austin-Travis County, we have one of the lowest mortality rates in the country. And that's been the result of numerous decisions and choices that we have made as a community since March. One of the key elements of that has been the eviction protections that we've put in place here."
The orders prevent landlords from issuing Notices to Vacate, as well as removing or seizing a tenant's property. The orders also cover commercial tenants who operate a childcare business, live-music venue, arts venue, or restaurant or bar.
Under the orders, landlords are allowed to issue Notices to Vacate if a tenant or a member of their household poses an imminent threat of physical harm, criminal activity, or property damage, or if an insured casualty loss makes the premises totally unusable.