EVICTIONS

SAN ANTONIO An amendment to an executive order in Bexar County is implementing a temporary halt in residential evictions. The amended order was issued Friday, Sept. 4, by Bexar County officials. By following the order, the temporary halt is believed to further prevent the spread of COVID-19 and still allows residents who may be struggling financially to continue residing in their homes. Those that do not abide by the amended executive order may receive a fine not to exceed $1,000 for each violation. The amended executive order can be read below:RELATED: CDC order offers protection for San Antonio renters, but not yet

Demonstrators rallied against evictions Friday outside of a Harris County justice of the peace precinct in Houston. The two justices of the peace for Harris Precinct 5, unlike some of their counterparts elsewhere in the county, resumed eviction proceedings as soon as they were allowed, in mid-May. In Houston, the first round of a rental assistance program ran out in 90 minutes, according to the Houston Chronicle. Although both judges are hearing eviction cases, protesters said that Ridgways court has more evictions scheduled and handles cases for immigrant neighborhoods like Gulfton. According to January Advisors, the precinct also had the most evictions compared with other parts of the county before the pandemic.

The federal eviction moratorium that protects more than 12 million renters living in federally subsidized apartments or units with federally backed mortgages expired July 25. “I can’t believe this happened to me because I work hard,” said Blunt, whose eviction is at the mercy of the federal moratorium. Experts credit the slower pace to the federal eviction moratorium as well as states and municipalities that used tens of millions of dollars in federal stimulus funding for rental assistance. It also helped that several states, including Massachusetts and Arizona, have extended their eviction moratorium into the fall. “An eviction moratorium without rental assistance is still a recipe for disaster,” said Graham Bowman, staff attorney with the Ohio Poverty Law Center.

SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio nonprofit is stepping up to help people who have lost their jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic as federal eviction protections come to an end. San Antonio student starts nonprofit to provide clear face masks for deaf, hard of hearing individualsBaker said the nonprofit is helping people who didn’t need assistance in the past. Johnny Herrera said he lost his job in 2019, and he ended up at Haven for Hope. He said the nonprofit helped him find a job, but he lost the job due to the pandemic. Herrera said the nonprofit is helping him find a new job and providing rent assistance.

SAN ANTONIO A San Antonio woman is hoping her efforts to support people living out of their cars will encourage the city to back her idea of using parking lots as safe spaces. She then got connected with Pastor Jimmy Robles, with Last Chance Ministries, who supported her idea of turning the churchs parking lot into a safe place. The neighbors here also keep an eye on the parking lot, so it is well-watched.Wright and a team plan to volunteer their overnight hours to assist those who drive up to the parking lot. She said she hopes the city can soon help with getting the American Red Cross on board to provide cots for families. We need churches on all sides of the city to step up and help out with overnight parking.

SAN ANTONIO Many places closed down during the pandemic, but Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, a nonprofit organization that provides free legal services to people who cant afford an attorney, stayed open. Trejo said the attorneys are working with the City of San Antonio and collaborating with them on the Right to Counsel program. Trejo said they are also working with San Antonio Legal Services Association, a nonprofit organization also providing free legal services to those in need. Trejo said the San Antonio housing attorneys at Texas RioGrande Legal Aid have 71 open eviction cases working. Texas RioGrande Legal Aid has also updated its website to make it easier for people seeking help.

SAN ANTONIO Jessica Lerma was scheduled to start a new job March 16, right around the time many San Antonio businesses began to react to the COVID-19 pandemic or in some cases even shut down. Now shes among the growing number of San Antonio residents who are fending off landlords or apartment managers while trying to also qualify for assistance and find new employment. She was told it was going to take 10 to 14 business days to receive a check. When she didnt get it in two to three days they still issued me a notice to vacate, said Lerma. She said she attempted to confirm this information with apartment management but they refused to do so.