Governor Cuomo’s Executive Order 202.8, dated March 20, 2020, froze evictions of any residential or commercial tenant through June 18, 2020, but did not expressly restrict taking enforcement actions against tenants short of an actual eviction. On May 7, 2020, Governor Cuomo issued Executive Order 202.28, which extended that moratorium until August 20, assuming the owner or tenant “is eligible for unemployment insurance or benefits under state or federal law or otherwise facing financial hardship due to the COVID‑19 pandemic.” Neither of these Executive Orders expressly restricts landlords from taking enforcement actions against tenants short of an actual eviction, including terminating leases based on tenant defaults. They also do not obviate a commercial tenant’s obligation to continue paying rent under the lease.
Governor Cuomo’s Executive Order 202.8 freezes evictions of any residential or commercial tenant through June 18, 2020, but does not expressly restrict taking enforcement actions against tenants short of an actual eviction.