News
On Thursday, June 24, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) extended its federal eviction moratorium, previously set to expire on June 30, through July 31, 2021. The agency stated in its announcement that this latest extension of the moratorium, which has been in place since September 2020 under the CDC's powers during a public health emergency, is intended to be the last. The eviction moratorium prevents housing providers from evicting tenants who are unable to pay all or some of their rent due to loss of income or medical expenses, have attempted to obtain rental assistance, earned no more than $99k ($198k for joint filers) in 2020 or does not expect to earn more than that in 2021, is making "best efforts" to make timely partial payments, and eviction would likely render them homeless or force them into a shared living setting.
Following the announcement, the White House released a fact sheet on "Initiatives to Promote Housing Stability by Supporting Vulnerable Tenants and Preventing Foreclosures." It outlines plans by the Administration to coordinate across federal agencies and the state, local, and national governments to provide resources for tenants and housing providers to access rental assistance funds and programs, develop plans for anti-eviction diversion practices to benefit tenants, housing providers, and relieve some of the burden on the court systems, and better communicate the existence of emergency rental assistance program (ERAP) funds and counseling programs to vulnerable tenants and housing providers. These initiatives include:
- Encouraging state and local courts to adopt "anti-eviction diversion practices," to help housing providers and tenants reach agreements and access rental assistance to keep people in their homes while helping to make housing providers whole;
- Highlighting the federal assistance funds for state and local governments, and their range of potential uses (including eviction diversion plans);
Changes to Take Effect in Two Phases – On Friday, May 28 and Friday, June 4
TRENTON– Governor Phil Murphy announced plans to lift major COVID-19 restrictions and move forward with the state's most significant reopening steps to date. Effective on Friday, May 28, the indoor mask mandate in public spaces will be lifted, as well as the six-foot social distancing requirement in both indoor and outdoor spaces, the prohibition on dance floors at bars and restaurants, and the prohibition on ordering and eating/drinking while standing at bars and restaurants. Additionally, effective Friday, June 4, indoor gathering and capacity limits will be lifted.
Over the last two weeks, key COVID-19 benchmarks have been achieved across New Jersey, including a dramatic increase in vaccinations, and significant decreases in new COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, spot positivity rates, and rates of transmission, solidifying the foundation for the state's sweeping reopening steps. Per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance, individuals who are not fully vaccinated -- defined as two weeks after receiving the second shot of a two-dose vaccination (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna) or two weeks after receiving a single-dose vaccination (Johnson & Johnson) – are strongly encouraged to continue masking and social distancing.
"Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, my administration has been guided by science, data, and facts to put New Jersey on the road to recovery with the public health and safety of all New Jerseyans as our highest priority," said Governor Murphy." Together, we have made tremendous progress in crushing this virus, and the last two weeks have shown significant decreases in key areas of our data, including new COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, spot positivity rates, and rates of transmission. These data points, coupled with a dramatic increase in our vaccination efforts resulting in over 4.7 million New Jerseyans with their first shot, allow us to lift major restrictions and move forward with our most significant reopening steps to date."
The following changes will go into effect on Friday, May 28:
How can people safely get together? What are the limits for indoor and outdoor gatherings?
Attending a gathering, ceremony, or celebration is permitted, but different limits apply depending on the type of gathering and where it is happening:
Indoor Gatherings
Face coverings are required in indoor public spaces and in outdoor public spaces when social distancing is difficult to maintain. COVID-19 remains a threat, particularly at indoor gatherings with unvaccinated individuals. Follow the safety tips described in this article to protect yourself and your community.