Ban on evictions ends today

DES MOINES — The governor’s ban on evictions and foreclosures brought on by the coronavirus ends today .

Iowa Legal Aid Litigation Director Alex Kornya says the court system isn’t fully open yet — so most eviction hearings will still be delayed. But landlords will be able to terminate leases for tenants who have not paid rent or broken terms of the lease.  “Even though the actual hearings for those evictions won’t be taking place until maybe a few weeks to a month and a half from now, that is going to set in motion a chain of events that is going to be pretty catastrophic for a lot of people,” Kornya says.

Governor Kim Reynolds says she’s establishing a new fund to prevent some evictions and foreclosures, but hasn’t shared details yet. Kornya says it’s important for that assistance to be part of a longer planning process for Iowans.  “Our clients and the general public are not really going to be able to kind of navigate through this economic fallout of the pandemic without having a long term plan, of which this is an important element but only one element,” according to Kornya.

Most debt collections can also resume Thursday. Nursing home evictions and property tax penalties are still suspended until June 25th.