County judge asks TX Supreme Court to extend eviction moratorium
As the COVID-19 pandemic rages on, thousands in Fort Bend County have faced financial crises. Now some may be in danger of being evicted from their homes. However, the countys top elected official is trying to delay the process and help residents get back on their feet.
Last Tuesday, May 19, the Texas Supreme Court allowed the statewide eviction moratorium to expire after temporarily putting eviction notices on hold during the coronavirus pandemic. According to a report from the Texas Tribune, eviction hearings could begin on May 19, while eviction orders could legally be served beginning this past Tuesday.
On the heels of the expiration, Fort Bend County Judge KP George sent a letter to the countys justices of the peace imploring them to extend the local eviction moratorium in all four precincts.
...A provision in the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, Economic Security (CARES) Act allows a federal moratorium on evictions to continue through July 25 for properties that have federally backed mortgages. In his letter, George called for the countys help in extending its own moratorium to match the federal provision.
Part of Georges reasoning is the large-scale unemployment that has gripped not just Fort Bend County but Texans as a whole. According to data from the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC), more than 2.2 million Texans have filed for unemployment since Feb. 22. The TWC also indicated that as of May 9, nearly 47,000 claims for unemployment had been filed in Fort Bend County since March 1 the fifth-most among any county in Texas.
http://www.fortbendstar.com/george-asks-justices-to-extend-eviction-moratorium/