Philadelphia Municipal Court Extends its Tenant Eviction Ban Until September 23, 2020.
On September 9, following the CDC’s nationwide eviction moratorium issued on September 1, and facing pressure from Philadelphia housing advocates, Municipal Court President Judge Patrick F. Dugan issued a court order banning residential evictions until September 23, 2020.
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Landlord-Tenant Court was originally set to reopen on July 6, but its closing was later extended to September 2, and now through September 23, 2020. Judge Dugan’s order prohibits the Philadelphia Municipal Court’s Landlord-Tenant Office from issuing any alias writs of possession until September 23, and it limits the issuing of any writs of possession through September 19, 2020. Once a writ of possession is served upon any residential tenant, there may be no eviction until after September 23. When serving a writ, the Landlord-Tenant Officer must also include a notice explaining the recent CDC moratorium to the tenant and provide the appropriate form for tenants to receive protection under the federal ban.
City Council members have already announced their intention of introducing additional legislation which, like the CDC moratorium, would extend the Philadelphia eviction ban through the end of 2020.
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