Gov. Sisolak suspends foreclosures and evictions in Nevada

In an effort to keep people home amid the COVID-19 outbreak, Governor Steve Sisolak is suspending all foreclosures and evictions for 90 days.

“I am warning landlords,” urged Sisolak.” The goal here is to keep people at home and any attempt to get around that will be addressed by the Attorney General.”

Tia Lane makes her living as a landlord managing 11 properties, and knows this takes away a lot of leverage.

“Threat of eviction has been a tool you can use in case tenants just want to squat on your property,” she explained.

Still, Lane says, she understands why it’s happening.

“Like most landlords I’m probably willing to work with my people because we are all affected by this," Lane explained.

This doesn’t mean that all evictions are off the table. Dangerous tenants can still be evicted if they pose a risk to other residents, the public, or their property.

Gov. Sisolak's emergency directive is offering relief for renters like William Clark.

He says he has no money for rent after April 14th. He has lived a few blocks from the Reno Arch at the Siegel Suites Apartments for about two years.

He says money is tight. When the Nugget was forced to lay him off because of the COVID-19 pandemic he knew he was in trouble.

"Nervous and scared," Clark said about first learning of his job loss.

With no job and an unemployment application benefits meltdown in the Nevada caused by a lack of trained workers to process the large jump in claims, Clark says he could see no relief in sight.

"My stomach was upset. I was worried more about my wife than myself," he said.

His relief came Sunday night when Gov. Sisolak announced the moratorium on all evictions. He also said renters will not have to make late payments if they can't pay on time.

"I was worried about that. I didn't hear that part," Clark said.

According to the Governor's emergency directive renters will have to eventually repay all the rent they owe.

Renters like Clark will now have more time to try and get unemployment, to plan, and focus on the next step forward.

The temporary halt to evictions in Nevada also applies to small businesses as long as Nevada is under a state-of-emergency.