Texas Supreme Court Extends Moratorium On Evictions Until May 18

The Texas Supreme Court extended the moratorium on eviction procedures until May 18, giving tenants a few more weeks of relief to come up with May 1 payments.
Trials, hearings and other procedures are suspended, but landlords can still file for an eviction.
The federal government has also halted evictions until August 23 for properties that are covered by federally backed mortgages. Local authorities have placed similar and sometimes stronger actions to stop evictions, as unemployment claims escalate and reach historic highs in Texas.
Previous to the crisis, housing affordability was already becoming a larger problem for thousands of low-income Texans.
Despite the orders to block evictions, some landlords still forced tenants out of their property.
According to the Texas Property Code, locking out a tenant without an eviction procedure is illegal.
Although the court’s action does not waive rent payment requirement John Boriack, the president-elect of the Houston Apartment Association, an affiliate of the Texas Apartment Association encouraged any tenant who may be unable to make an upcoming rent payment to talk with their landlord about payment deferrals, payment plan options and waiving late fees.