Late in March, the Ohio Supreme Court offered guidance to local courts, advising them to take measures to reduce courthouse traffic. Some municipal courts, though not all, reacted by delaying hearings and pausing most civil and criminal proceedings, including evictions. This move has kept renters in place for the time being, but as moratoriums don’t prevent a landlord from filing for eviction, this protection only delays the process.
Each court sets their own rules independently. A recent survey of municipal courts in Ohio’s 8 largest metros show that each enacted some sort of moratorium or continuance on proceedings. Expiration dates for the moratoriums are not standardized. Some, like the Dayton Municipal Court, have timed their moratoriums to end when the Governor lifts the state of emergency, or July 30, whichever comes first. See the table below for an overview.
A full list of Ohio courts by county can be found here.
The eviction process begins with the posting of a three-day eviction notice, after which a landlord has the right to file an eviction action in court against the tenant. Under normal circumstances, a landlord can schedule a hearing date between 2 and 3 weeks from the filing date. In courts that have placed a moratorium or continuance of eviction hearings, this is where the process stops for now. But a backlog of cases awaits as court moratoriums begin to expire, threatening the housing security of many Ohio renters. Housing advocates worry about the effects of mass evictions, especially as homeless systems are stretched thin due to the pandemic.
Housing providers across the state experienced a decrease in April rent payments as COVID-19 began to hit Ohio, and experts fear payment rates for May will be even lower as the economic effects of the pandemic worsen. As mentioned in last week’s blog, Greater Ohio Policy Center is one organization among many concerned about an impending housing crisis in the Ohio. As state groups continue to advocate for Congressionally-funded rent assistance program, tenants should maintain contact with their landlords regarding their ability to pay. GOPC will continue to monitor solutions for emergency housing assistance and will update their COVID-19 Resources page regularly.