The renewed orders come the day after the Biden administration extended a federal evictions moratorium through the end of June.
“These protections save lives by keeping residents safe in their homes during the pandemic. Austin and Travis County are proud to have the lowest evictions and the lowest rate of Covid-19 fatalities in Texas," Adler said in a statement.
The orders apply to tenants who pay less than $2,475 per month in rent. Exceptions include instances in which tenants present a threat of harm or engage in criminal activity on the premises.
“We must keep these eviction protections in place to protect the health and safety of our community while we work to rapidly vaccinate all of Travis County. At the same time, we are working hard to expand access to rental assistance to mitigate the financial burden COVID-19 has placed on renters and landlords," Brown said in a news release.
Earlier this month, the city opened applications for a revamped rental assistance program aimed at low-income residents who have been financially impacted by COVID-19. The Relief of Emergency for Tenants, or RENT, assistance program offers $25 million in federally funded direct support to renters in need. Landlords are also able to apply for benefits.
More federal funds to help local renters are expected via the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, according to the city and county. According to U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, the city will receive $195.8 million in federal money from the federal relief plan, while the county will receive $247.1 million.
