Governor DeWine has issued an order to protect evictions and foreclosures on commercial properties. Tenants have not received the same rights! It is time for him to hear and understand how the COVID-19 pandemic is impacting people who are struggling to pay rent. The failure at the state level to protect tenants during this public health crisis will continue to force people into the trauma of homelessness! The Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition and the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless are working together to organize the State of Ohio toward tenant protections. People who are at-risk in their housing need to share their story. We need a statewide 90-day moratorium on residential rental evictions during this pandemic.
Here is a sample form letter to send as an email:
To: [STATE REPRESENTATIVE, STATE SENATOR]
From: [YOUR NAME, ADDRESS]
I am one of the Ohio tenants who is unable to pay my full rent this month because of [LOSS OF EMPLOYMENT, ILLNESS, OTHER (explain)] related to the COVID 19 pandemic. I have not yet received any financial assistance from the state or local government. I am at risk of facing eviction from my home.
I urge you to ask Governor DeWine to enact a statewide 90-day moratorium on residential evictions with additional tenant support to ensure that I will still have a right to the peaceful enjoyment of my rental home throughout this public health crisis and once I get back on my feet.
Necessary protections include:
- Require residential landlords to accept late and partial payments during the moratorium period.
- Prohibit landlords from charging late fees during the moratorium period.
- Encourage courts to hold informal meetings with tenants and landlords to seek mediated agreements before permitting landlords to file evictions after the moratorium is over.
- Direct local law enforcement to prevent landlords from taking the law into their own hands with “self-help evictions” such as turning off utilities, padlocking the premises, or seizing a tenant’s belongings.
Residential tenants like me deserve to be treated with the same consideration that the Governor has already provided to commercial (business) tenants in his Executive Order 2020-08D.
If you have any other questions about my situation, please feel free to contact me at PHONE or EMAIL.
Thanks for your timely intervention. The need is urgent.
SIGNATURE
cc: communitymanager@rhinohio.com
Send this as an email to the following elected officials:
Ohio House of Representatives members
Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition 
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