Protections for renters in multi-family housing or federally subsidized housing

You have the right to a CARES Act 30-day notice before your landlord can ask you to leave or file an eviction. This can mean more time for you to find rental assistance or legal advice before your landlord starts an eviction.

1. You or your landlord receive a federal subsidy or
2. You live in a building with 5 or more units and your building has a federally insured mortgage

• Find out if your housing is covered

Your landlord is not allowed to:

• Start an eviction or evict you because you haven’t paid rent or late fees
• Charge you late fees or other penalties for making late rent payments, or
• Demand that you pay all the rent you owe in one lump sum

Once their forbearance ends, a landlord must give you at least 30 days’ notice before they can start an eviction. This is called a 30-day notice to vacate.

1. You live in a building with 5 or more units and
2. Your landlord is getting mortgage help (forbearance) on a mortgage insured by
   • Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (FHFA) or
   • Federal Housing Administration (FHA)

They are also supposed to tell you about these rights while they are getting mortgage help.

• Find out if your housing is covered

Most CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) Act protections expired at the end of 2020. If you live in CARES Act covered housing:

• Your landlord is not allowed to charge late fees or other penalties because you paid rent late, between March 27 and July 24, 2020, and
• Because these fees or penalties are not allowed, they can’t evict you just because you didn’t pay them

Your landlord can still sue or evict you to collect late fees and penalties from before March 27, 2020 or after July 24, 2020.

1. You or your landlord receives a federal subsidy or
2. Your landlord got CARES Act mortgage help last year, on a mortgage insured by the federal government

Find out if your housing is covered

You can ask your landlord if they are getting forbearance. Or talk with a lawyer who can help you find out.

Contact your local bar association or legal aid office