HOUSTON – Area unions today renewed their call for Harris County Justices of the Peace to take immediate action to provide relief to Harris County’s working families by suspending eviction proceedings through July 24th.
Texas Gulf Coast Area Labor Federation Executive Director Hany Khalil said: “Thank you Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and Mayor Sylvester Turner for joining calls from unions and housing advocates for an eviction moratorium in Harris County. Our Justices of the Peace have the constitutional authority to delay eviction proceedings, and the moral responsibility to ensure no one loses their home because of COVID-19.”
On May 19th, the day the Texas Supreme Court lifted its moratorium on eviction proceedings, Khalil and Labor Federation President Lacy Wolf mailed a letter to all 16 Harris County Justices of the Peace calling on them to immediately suspend eviction proceedings. They followed up last week with a memo laying out the legal basis for Texas Justices of the Peace to act to suspend their eviction dockets during the COVID-19 crisis.
Section 4024 of the CARES Act provides a moratorium on evictions through July 24 for tenants in rental properties with federally backed mortgages or federal subsidies. Unfortunately, only 509 properties in Harris County are covered, leaving thousands of tenants laid off due to COVID-19 without protection. A full list of all properties covered by the CARES Act in Harris County can be found at this link.
Labor advocates argue there is no compelling reason to issue eviction citations or conduct eviction hearings so long as COVID-caused unemployment remains high. By suspending evictions in the court through July 24th, Harris County Justices of the Peace can help ensure that all Harris County tenants impacted by COVID-19 are protected equally during this crisis.
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The Texas Gulf Coast Area Labor Federation (TGCALF), AFL-CIO unites the power of 95 unions representing 60,000 union members across 13 counties to advocate for working families in the Texas Gulf Coast. We mobilize our members and community partners to demand a fair shot at better lives for all working people — regardless of the color of our skin, which country we come from, or whom we love. Learn more: www.gcaflcio.org/