On Sept. 2, 2021, Governor Kathy Hochul signed into law an extension of New York’s commercial and residential eviction moratoriums through Jan. 15, 2022 (the “moratorium extension”). The moratorium extension features a new mechanism by which owners can challenge tenants’ assertions of COVID-related financial hardship, which was added to comply with a recent U.S Supreme Court ruling.

On paper, this procedure gives owners a new path forward in many eviction proceedings; however, it remains to be seen whether, as a result, an appreciable number of eviction proceedings actually move forward between now and early next year.