Office to process eviction appeals
NORRISTOWN » Saying the COVID-19 pandemic has placed many renters at risk of being evicted in the midst of a public health emergency, the office of the Montgomery County Prothonotary has opened a satellite office with the specific purpose of assisting residents with landlord/ tenant appeals.
As most filers and litigants — including renters and landlords — are still restricted from entering the county courthouse due to pandemic restrictions, Prothonotary Noah Marlier said it became clear that his office needed to increase access to landlords and tenants for filing of appeals.
Marlier worked with county and court officials to ensure a space was available for residents who are facing evictions from their homes during these difficult times.
The special office opened this week in One Montgomery Plaza, 425 Swede St., Norristown, across the street from the Montgomery County Courthouse.
“It was so important to open this office, as we have seen an increase in the last few weeks in landlord-tenant appeals from local district judges. This increase came just weeks after the moratorium on evictions here in Pennsylvania was lifted,” said Marlier, explaining between 23,000 and 47,000 county households could face eviction. “It is vital that impacted residents are aware of their options.
“We are facing an eviction crisis and potentially a homelessness crisis. Tens of thousands of residents, right here in Montgomery County, could be facing eviction in the coming months. Furthermore, this eviction crisis will most likely impact people of color disproportionately,” Marlier added.
The Prothonotary’s Landlord/ Tenant Office will be open Monday through Friday between 9a.m. and 3p.m. Renters applying for financial assistance relative to their appeal are encouraged to arrive no later than 2p.m.
For more information about the resources available regarding landlord/ tenant appeals and supplemental eviction instructions residents can visit www.montcopa.org/prothonotary or contact the office at 610-278-3361.
“We have created new literature that provides resources for renters and clearly breaks down the eviction appeals process,” Marlier said. “We have also worked with the courts to ensure that similar literature is provided to all renters who have had an order of eviction entered at the local court level so that they are fully aware of their appeal rights.”
Gov. Tom Wolf had a moratorium on evictions in Pennsylvania but it expired at the end of August and cannot be extended without Legislative action.
The federal government implemented a national moratorium, previously announced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which will run through Dec. 31.
“However, there’s a few issues with that moratorium that I believe will still cause evictions to take place at a more rapid rate,” Marlier said during a virtual forum he recently held on the issue. “That moratorium only covers very specific circumstances, not all evictions.”
For example, the national moratorium only applies to individuals earning less than $99,000 a year. Additionally, Marlier said tenants must provide a declaration to their landlords that they are unable to pay, and prove they have made their “best efforts’ to obtain government rent assistance in order to be eligible.
“Importantly, that moratorium does not relieve the tenant of the requirement to pay rent during the time period and that’s very challenging for many folks today who have lost their jobs, who are just unable to pay their rent,” Marlier said during the forum held with county officials and local NAACP leaders. “This issue is going to hit a lot of people very, very hard.”
Commissioners’ Chairwoman Dr. Valerie Arkoosh took part in the virtual forum recently hosted by Marlier.
“Keeping individuals and families in their homes and preventing homelessness is critical to the health and safety of Montgomery County households and is also going to be a major contributing factor in the recovery from the impacts of COVID-19,” Arkoosh said during the forum. “Due to job loss or a health crisis caused by COVID-19 many Montgomery
County households are experiencing housing instability for the first time in their lives.”
Arkoosh said county officials have increased efforts to provide relief through public/private partnerships to end and prevent homelessness and help stabilize working and low-income households. One such program is the Your Way Home Emergency Rent and Utility Coalition, which was launched last month.
The program provides a $5.9 million fund to help residents impacted by the pandemic to pay rent and utility costs.
Eligible residents can receive up to $1,500 per month to pay for rent and utility arrears dating back to March 1, about the time the pandemic began, businesses closed and unemployment rose, for a maximum of six months, Arkoosh explained. Officials estimated that 660 county households could be served by the program.
“Thus, a household can receive up to $9,000 in rental or utility assistance to keep them safe and healthy in their homes,” said Arkoosh, adding the program will run through the end of December.
Households must meet certain income requirements and have experienced a hardship in the household due to COVID-19.
“That hardship could be a job loss or it could be having to leave a job to care for a sick family member. There is quite a bit of flexibility in this program,” Arkoosh said during the virtual forum.
For more information about the program residents can v isit www. yourwayhome.org
“It was so important to open this office, as we have seen an increase in the last few weeks in landlord-tenant appeals from local district judges.” - Montgomery County Prothonotary Noah Marlier