ST. LOUIS — State courts in St. Louis County said Monday they will begin allowing some evictions, a reversal of a policy that had been unique in the region.
The announcement also indicated that the St. Louis County Circuit Court will allow most evictions to proceed starting April 5, after long having no end date for an eviction moratorium.
Presiding Judge Michael Burton said in an order that evictions involving drug-related or other criminal activity, as well as those involving commercial properties, would be allowed to proceed immediately.
He also ordered that landlords seeking to evict tenants because of nonpayment must complete affidavits when filing petitions indicating that they have not sought financial assistance from the Emergency Rental Arrears Program or State Assistance for Housing Relief during the affected period.
In his order, Burton noted that as of April, $30 million in ERAP and SAFHR funding will become available to landlords to cover rent and utility payments dating back to April 2020 and "up to three months of forward rent and prepaid full utility assistance."
But a landlord lawyer, Kathie Davis, said details of the program aren't yet posted on St. Louis County's website. She said the first evictions could begin in about a week.
St. Louis County had put a moratorium on evictions during the pandemic, with the justification that sheriff's office employees, who carry out evictions, "would be harmed if they came into regular close contact with members of the general public."
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