ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — Evictions in St. Louis County resumed as planned on Monday.
Nearly 600 eviction orders in the county have been on hold during the past year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Health and Human Services said evictions during the pandemic created a health crisis and that it wasn’t in the interest of public health to displace people from their homes.
In response to a downward trend in COVID-19 cases in the community, an increase in vaccinations and availability of federal stimulus funds, St. Louis County Presiding Judge Michael D. Burton issued an order on March 23 to allow evictions to resume on April 5.
Judge Burton has worked with tenant and landlord representatives throughout the pandemic. Last week, evictions began of tenants involved in drug-related criminal activity on their rental property and for leased property rented for commercial purposes.
On March 29, the CDC extended its national eviction moratorium through June 30, 2021. Tenants must fill out the eviction protection declaration to see if they qualify for rental and utility assistance. The City of St. Louis also extended its eviction moratorium through May 3.
Coverage on resources available during the COVID-19 pandemic:
- St. Louis County to offer rental assistance for those affected by pandemic
- More rental, utility aid available to St. Louisans, mayor announces
- Biden administration extends federal moratorium on evictions
- Housing advocates call for federal eviction moratorium to be strengthened
- Federal low-income housing grant doubles in size this year