“Today’s vote to extend a blanket moratorium on evictions is harmful to both landlords and tenants. The extension passed today severely limits the ability of already struggling small property owners to recover from the economic damage the COVID-19 pandemic has caused. This unsustainable, short-sighted policy will lead to a drastic decline in affordable housing options as landlords face foreclosure or stop renting altogether.

We are past the initial period of economic hardship that warranted the need for this moratorium. At this stage, allowing tenants to simply ignore rent for another four months will do more harm than good to every part of the housing sector. Tenants deserve the benefit of the doubt in cases of emergency, but today’s vote only prolongs the pain for housing providers whose interests and experiences have been completely ignored.”