Despite a three-month extension of a CDC eviction moratorium that was set to expire Wednesday, dozens of renters sat in chairs spaced at least six feet apart inside the Greater Columbus Convention Center Wednesday morning.
They were waiting their turn to make their case before a Franklin County magistrate.
The Franklin County Municipal Court moved its eviction proceedings to the spacious convention center in 2020 to allow for social distancing. They limit the caseload to 100 per day.
Melissa Benson, the managing attorney for the Legal Aid Society of Columbus’ (LASC) housing team, said the docket is always full.
“We’ve seen very steady increases in filings, closer to pre-pandemic levels,” Benson said. “In some weeks, it has been higher.”
One name on Wednesday’s docket was Zach Lantz.
“I’m hoping that the courts will see that we haven’t done anything wrong,” Lantz said.
The 23-year-old father of three lost his job in the food service industry early in the pandemic, when many restaurants closed. Since then, Lantz said he’s been scraping money together by making deliveries for Instacart and DoorDash. He said his apartment’s management company would not accept late payments, or the rental assistance Lantz had applied for and been granted.
Wednesday was Lantz’s fourth time in eviction court over the past year.
“I can’t be at peace,” Lantz said. “I feel like I’m on edge, like someone’s constantly threatening my wellbeing,”
The tenant must apply and qualify, using official paperwork from the CDC.
“(The application) is accessible here in Franklin County if you’re looking for it,” Benson said. “I don’t think it’s something that people necessarily know to look for.”
Typically, Benson said eviction cases can be settled through negotiation, avoiding the need for a judgment or a stay. She said many tenants aren’t aware of their options, so they pack up and leave their home to avoid court.
“Apply for that assistance, work with your landlord, try to avoid being here if possible, and if you do get court papers, come to court,” Benson said. “Talk to the attorneys, talk to the agencies that are here, talk to the magistrate. There’s a good chance that we can work something out.”
According to Franklin County Municipal Court records through March 19, 2021, 12,064 evictions have been filed in the county since the pandemic began.
Courtesy of NBC4i.com
CDC Eviction Moratorium Doing little to Protect Renters in Franklin County was originally published on mycolumbuspower.com
