Assemblyman Michael Tannousis (R,C,I- Staten Island/Brooklyn) voted against bill A.07175-A, which extends the eviction moratorium of delinquent tenants who have not paid rent throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Tannousis was among numerous others in the Assembly to recognize the inadequacies in the legislation to meaningfully address the situation renters and housing providers find themselves in due to the pandemic.

Last week, members of the Assembly Minority Conference held a press conference with several New Yorkers who have been directly harmed by the eviction moratoriums. Courageous and emotional advocates shared their stories of how the inability to evict tenants who are refusing to pay rent has, in turn, caused themselves to be unable to pay their bills.

“Continuously extending the eviction moratorium does nothing to help renters whose debt continues to build, or the small landlords who are counting on receiving the money they’re due to pay their own bills,” said Tannousis. “I oppose this bill completely and will my colleagues to speak out against this policy.

“The longer we continue to not address the underlying problem, the worse it is going to get. Telling renters, they won’t be evicted if they don’t pay their bills has created a situation where far too many people, renters and housing providers alike, find themselves needlessly in debt and at risk of losing their homes unless we take action.”