Legal Aid's statement on Supreme Court blocking eviction moratorium
Statement from Steven McGarrity, executive director
Community Legal Aid is disappointed with the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to block an extension of the eviction moratorium, but we remain dedicated to helping residents in central northeast Ohio avoid homelessness during this public health crisis.
The moratorium has been an important tool in combating the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Evicting families during this time will lead to displacement, with families forced to temporarily move in with other family members or friends, or even end up in homeless shelters. While total numbers helped by the moratorium are difficult to quantify, we at Legal Aid have worked with thousands of renters across our service region who have benefited from the temporary order while waiting for vaccine rates to rise.
This decision has dangerous consequences not only to families immediately impacted by eviction, but to our society as a whole. It will inevitably lead to the spread of the disease and further worsen the disparate impact of the virus on low-income, working class Americans and communities of color, which have the highest eviction rates across the nation.
Legal Aid wants renters across central northeast Ohio to know that they are not alone during this time, and there is help. We have several ways we can help:
- Attend any of our free weekly virtual eviction workshops every Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. (details at www.communitylegalaid.org/events)
- Call our Tenant Assistance Hotline at (330) 983-2528 to speak briefly with an attorney
- See our free, online eviction toolkit for helpful forms and to better understand the eviction process at www.communitylegalaid.org/eviction
- Find additional resources at www.OhioLegalHelp.org
- Apply for legal aid by calling our HelpLine at (800) 998-9454 or online 24/7 at www.communitylegalaid.org/apply
Media contacts:
- Maria Duvuvuei (330) 907-4405 (call/text), or mduvuvuei@communitylegalaid.org
- Jodi Roberts (330) 313-6654 (call/text), or jroberts@communitylegalaid.org
