On August 4, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a new eviction moratorium through October 3 for renters living in communities that are experiencing "substantial" and "high" spread of the coronavirus. As of the afternoon of August 4, 2021, local transmission of COVID-19 in Washtenaw County is at a substantial level, as defined in the CDC COVID Data Tracker and thus, residents facing eviction are protected under the National Eviction Moratorium.
Residents are advised to continue to monitor the CDC COVID Data Tracker for updated information on the level of transmission throughout Washtenaw County and check for updates from OCED and the Washtenaw County Health Department. The rate of infection will determine if the eviction moratorium will be in effect—the moratorium will no longer be applicable if the County falls below “substantial” for 14 consecutive days. If the County stays at the “substantial” level, then the eviction moratorium will be in effect until October 3, 2021.
“As of yesterday, Washtenaw County moved to the ‘substantial’ level for local COVID transmission,” said Jimena Loveluck, MSW, Health Officer for the Washtenaw County Health Department. “While this is not good news for our COVID trends, it does mean federal eviction protections are in place as an additional public health measure to help prevent the spread of COVID. These protections can help community members stay in their own homes and access rental assistance. It also supports COVID response and recovery by keeping our residents home, where they can more easily isolate or quarantine, if necessary.”
Regardless of the eviction moratorium status in Washtenaw County, rental assistance is available for tenants facing pandemic-related hardships through the COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance (CERA) program. CERA is available for income eligible households who have fallen behind on costs associated with rent, utilities, and/or internet bills during the pandemic.
The CERA application can be completed at http://www.michigan.gov/cera. For those who are unable to or do not wish to use the online application, paper applications can also be found at michigan.gov/cera or by contacting HAWC at (734) 961-1999. Paper applications must be emailed to [email protected] or mailed or dropped off at: Housing Access for Washtenaw County, 100 Arbana Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48103.
If you need help applying for CERA assistance, please contact HAWC at (734) 961-1999. A user guide is available in English and Spanish for tenants that need assistance with the application process at www.washtenaw.org/3421/CERA.