Renters who lost income to COVID can't be evicted for that back rent

If you rent your home in New York and fell behind during the pandemic because you lost income, a court can’t evict you over the rent that came due during the pandemic. That covers rent due from March 7, 2020 through Jan. 15, 2022. The law doesn’t erase the debt, though. Your landlord can still go to court and win a money judgment for what you owe.

You don’t have to apply ahead of time. If your landlord takes you to court over unpaid rent, you raise financial hardship as your defense. The judge looks at your income before and during the pandemic, what savings you have, and whether you got help like unemployment, SNAP, or cash assistance. The law doesn’t protect rent owed from before or after that window, or evictions for other reasons.

State Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal and Assembly Member Jeffrey Dinowitz sponsored the bill. Both chambers passed it on May 27, 2020: the Senate voted 39–23 and the Assembly 94–50. Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed it on June 30, 2020. At first, the protected window was set to end when pandemic restrictions were lifted where you live. In September 2021, lawmakers fixed the end date at Jan. 15, 2022, and Gov. Kathy Hochul signed the change.