Evictions resume in Lorain County, backlog stopped due to aid

Evictions for nonpayment have resumed in Lorain County, but officials said rental assistance is keeping the courts from being flooded. In March, a federal judge in the United States District Court of Northern Ohio struck down the CDC's eviction moratorium. The court has jurisdiction over Lorain County. As a result, Elyria Municipal Court Judge Gary Bennett said evictions for nonpayment of rent have resumed in the Elyria court. Throughout the entire pandemic, evictions continued for anything other than nonpayment of rent. Bennett said although the other evictions are resuming, they're embracing a program started up by the Lorain County Bar Association that works with tenants and landlords. In anticipation of the moratorium ending, the Bar launched a program designed to help tenants avoid eviction. The program offers mediation for landlords and tenants to avoid going to court for eviction. Bennett said the program ensures landlords get payment, but the tenant isn't getting evicted. His court has passed out pamphlets so tenants are aware of the Bar program and how it works. Bennett said tenants are struggling to pay because of COVID-19, and can get help to make the payments. But he said most landlords are not big corporations, and can also hurt from the lack of rent payment. He called the program a plus for tenants and landlords. Jeannie Motylewski, executive director of the LCBA, said so far the mediation program hasn't gone into use because they've first pushed tenants toward rental assistance programs. The Lorain County Community Action Agency has received three grants for rental assistance. The organization partnered with Lorain County Job and Family Services to disperse rental assistance funds. More than $11 million was available from the federal government to help Lorain County tenants. LCCAA Director Jackie Boehnlein said they process about 500 to 1,000 applications every three weeks or so. The funding can go to either rent or utility bills. The dollars go straight to either the landlord or the utility company. And Boehnlein said they have also started working with the Bar Association. She said LCBA stepped up to offer intervention services, and Boehnlein said her organization dedicated a portion of its funding to help people in LCBA mediation. She said all three organizations working together are helping ensure tenants stay in their home and don't get evicted, even with the moratorium ending. Keeping tenants in their homes is a vital intervention to keep people safe, Boehnlein said. Many of the applicants for funds have children at home, she said. People were in industries impacted by COVID-19 and they've lost their jobs or had hours cut. In some cases, Boehnlein said applicants have their jobs back, but are four to five months behind in rent. She said they're helping them pay the back rent, so they can move forward and avoid eviction. "The nice thing about this funding is it gives those people a way to get back on their feet and get current and then continue to keep up with current bills," Boehnlein said. "But we are still seeing people who are having difficulty finding work." The moratorium, and the subsequent funding to help people pay rent, helped prevent a crisis of homelessness, Boehnlein said. Not just in Lorain, but across the entire country. It's unclear whether more funding will come for rental assistance from the federal government, but Boehnlein said they're still working through applications. There also are summer programs that will help with water bills and electricity payments. "Everyone is trying to do their part to keep everyone in their homes," Boehnlein said. "Every tenant we keep in their apartment, each one of them is important." Contact Laina Yost at (440) 329-7121 or lyost@chroniclet.com.