Gov. Edwards extends eviction moratorium
13th September 2021 · 0 Comments
By Fritz Esker
Contributing Writer
On Sept. 6, Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards extended a statewide moratorium on evictions until September 24.
Gov. Edwards issued a statement accompanying the proclamation that case as the state was reeling from the damage caused by Hurricane Ida.
“Right now, the priority for the entire state of Louisiana is Hurricane Ida recovery, and we simply cannot afford to have any of our first responders, health care employees, or utility workers pushed out of their hotel rooms for any reason. It’s unacceptable that those working around the clock to support our state would be kicked out on the streets,” Edwards said.
Louisiana Congressman Troy Carter had sent a letter to the governor on Sept. 1 asking for the moratorium to be extended because of the combination of Hurricane Ida’s destruction and the ongoing battle with the Delta variant of COVID-19.
“As local officials continue to urge residents of Southeast Louisiana to stay in their homes, we must ensure that no evictions take place,” Carter wrote to Edwards. “Dually, we must also recognize the plight of small landlords across the state and provide them the necessary resources to be able to pay their mortgage. Housing is a human right and a critical need, especially in the wake of a natural disaster and ongoing public health threat.”
Congressman Carter praised the governor’s decision to extend the moratorium, but emphasized that there was still more work to be done.
“While this extension will be a lifeline to many who are focused on the daunting task of rebuilding from this storm, it can’t be the only support we provide to keep our residents housed. We must continue to cut through the red tape. We must get rental assistance funds out to support both Louisiana’s renters and those who depend on rent as their income.”
Governor Edwards also issued an order on Sept. 6 suspending all legal deadlines in the state until September 24.
“People all over the state of Louisiana are spending this week assessing the damages done to their homes and communities and are putting their lives back together after the ravages of Hurricane Ida,” Edwards said in his statement. “We need for them to be focused on recovery and not whether they will be held to a court deadline.”
Edwards added that several parishes in the state were still experiencing 100 percent power loss. In those cases, he said it would not be realistic to expect citizens to comply with deadlines set before Hurricane Ida.
The governor’s orders run through September 24, but can be extended if necessary.
The financial toll of Hurricane Ida does not look as if it will be as high as 2005’s Hurricane Katrina, but it is still one of the most destructive hurricanes on record. On September 1, an article by The Associated Press estimated that the final damage toll for Hurricane Ida would be $50-60 billion, with only $18 billion of those losses insured. If those estimates prove accurate, Ida would fall in one of the 5-7 slots for the costliest hurricanes in American history.
The number of Louisianan’s who have lost jobs and income due to Ida has not yet been calculated.
This article originally published in the September 13, 2021 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.
