S. 12-2021 - Pay to Stay - Laserfiche WebLink

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Placed on 1st reading & referred to Pleasetr efor Original HPD 2/16/21; 2nd reading 3/1/21. Please substitute for the original. Bullock, Kepple, Litten, Neff, O'Malley, Rader, ORDINANCE NO. 12-2021 By: Shachner AN ORDINANCE to take effect immediately proviaea ii receives me voie oT ai lease two thirds of the members of Council, or otherwise to take effect at the earliest period allowed by law, to expand rental rights within the City of Lakewood allowing renters who tender their full rent plus any additional late fees and court costs, prior to an eviction hearing to avoid eviction for late payment of rent and setting reasonable late fees that a landlord may charge a tenant. WHEREAS, international, national, state, and local governments and health authorities are responding to an outbreak of a disease caused by the novel coronavirus referred to as C O VID -19; and WHEREAS, the State of Ohio, the County of Cuyahoga, and the City of Lakewood are experiencing a public health crisis from the COVID-19 pandemic that will have lasting impacts on residents and the economy; and WHEREAS, on March 9, 2020, the Governor of the State of Ohio declared a State of Emergency to exist in Ohio as result of the threat of COVID-19; and WHEREAS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Ohio Department of Health, and the Cuyahoga County Department of Public Health have all issued recommendations including, but not limited to social distancing, staying home if sick, canceling or postponing large group events, working from home, and other precautions to protect public health and prevent transmission of this communicable virus; and WHEREAS, as a result of the public health emergency and the precautions recommended by health authorities, many residents and businesses in the City of Lakewood have experienced or expect soon to experience sudden and unexpected income loss; and WHEREAS, the Governor of the State of Ohio has stated that individuals exposed to COVID-19 may be temporarily unable to report to work due to illness caused by COVID-19 or quarantines related to COVID-19 and individuals directly affected by COVID-19 may experience potential loss of income, health care and medical coverage, and ability to pay for housing and basic needs, thereby placing increased demands on already strained regional and local health and safety resources, including shelters and food banks; and WHEREAS, further economic impacts are anticipated, leaving residential tenants vulnerable to eviction; and WHEREAS, during this local emergency and in the interest of protecting the public health and preventing transmission of COVID-19, it is essential to avoid unnecessary housing displacement to protect the City's affordable housing stock and to prevent housed individuals from falling into homelessness; and WHEREAS, housing displacement and homelessness place the City's residents at a higher risk of COVID-19 infections; and