Evictions

In anticipation of the federal eviction moratorium expiring or being struck down, Gov. Jared Polis passed an executive order last month that gives tenants an extra 20 days to make up missed rent payments. That order expires on Sept. 4, but could be extended if a “significant backlog” of rental assistance remains, a spokeswoman for Polis said.

The stakes have risen sharply to get rental assistance aid to struggling Americans on the heels of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that ends the national eviction moratorium.

Colorado has so far distributed more than $121 million in emergency rental assistance it received from various federal and state stimulus packages. But thousands of applications remain in limbo, according to data from the Department of Local Affairs.

The economic impacts of the pandemic have put a spotlight on housing instability, as Coloradans struggle to pay rent. A new program in Boulder aims to help tenants through housing instability by avoiding eviction.

Once created, the program’s staff will pair renters facing eviction with a city-appointed lawyer at no cost. A portion of the program will also provide direct financial assistance to some tenants.

Local courts and law enforcement are still interpreting the CDC's new eviction moratorium. Meanwhile, local sheriff's say they haven't stopped carrying them out.

Gov. Jared Polis is extending an executive order set to expire this week that requires landlords to give tenants more notice before filing eviction proceedings. This comes days after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a national eviction moratorium, putting the brakes on evictions, at least for now.

Gov. Jared Polis recently extended protections for renters struggling to pay their bills during the coronavirus pandemic. Landlords must now give their tenants until mid-September to make up missed payments. But with unemployment still high, it’s unclear if the move will help prevent a big spike in evictions this fall, and some in Colorado and Nevada are calling for a longer-term fix.

Gia Heflin is making more calls than ever these days.Headset on, she sits at a temporary desk near the front entrance of Neighbor to Neighbor, a local…