Eviction moratorium could be ending, but rent assistance is still available
Oklahoma City, Okla. (KOKH) — A protection for people facing eviction could be going away.
In a 20-page opinion, a U.S. District Court judge has ruled that the CDC didn't have the authority to put an eviction moratorium in place.
The Department of Justice has already filed an appeal.
That means the moratorium will stay in place for now.
“We won’t know for a few days, because they put it on hold, the enforceability of it and waiting for different groups to respond," said Ginny Carl from Community Cares Partners.
The moratorium is set to expire at the end of June anyway.
And it didn't stop rent charges from adding up.
Community Cares has been going to the courthouse to offer assistance.
They say the need is still there.
The dockets are full," Carl said. "We still have applicants and there is still a big struggle to pay rent that is due and owing and back rent."
This week, there have been fewer eviction cases than usual, but there are already 79 cases on the docket for Monday in Oklahoma County.
Community Cares will be distributing funds for the rest of the year.
So far this year, they have helped more than 2,000 households, giving out more than $9 million.
It's still getting about 200 applications per day.
Unemployment numbers have dropped significantly since last year, but Carl says that doesn't always mean fewer people need help.
“Maybe they’re not paying as much as before," Carl said about current jobs. "Maybe they’re not able to get as many hours as they were before."
You can apply for assistance from Community Cares Partners on its website.
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