CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- A statewide moratorium on evictions expires on Friday, and while it could lead to a wave of evictions, advocates say renters aren't out of luck - or options.
The moratorium on evictions was part of the State of Illinois' response to the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. And unless Governor Pritzker announces an extension, the eviction moratorium expires Friday, Jan. 9.
Mark Swartz, Executive Director of the Lawyers Committee for Better Housing, estimates there could be over 20,000 eviction filings in the city of Chicago alone if the moratorium is allowed to expire.
He said that's enough to overwhelm the eviction court system.
"We look at what 2021 would look like with the backlog of cases that weren't filed in 2020. Potentially we could see 21,000 eviction filings in the hopper waiting to be filed," Swartz said.
Swartz said housing advocates are pushing for an extension of the moratorium, adding it makes sense to do so, as the latest COVID-19 relief bill could help renters through direct payments and rental assistance. He said it makes sense to give renters time to receive that money.
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"If people are able to start coming current, even if they could only make a partial payment and they can work something out with the landlord, this should be able to stem the tide of of many evictions," he said.
A federal Centers for Disease and Control moratorium on evictions will expire at the end of the month.