Mayor Daniel Rivera announces today, the unanimous enactment of an emergency resolution calling for a sixty (60) day moratorium on rent and mortgage payments for Lawrence residents who experience an interruption of pay due to Coronavirus (COVID-19) and resulting school or business closures. This resolution came out nearly twelve hours before the President of the United States enacted a similar order. “We thank the City Council for their speedy response to protect vulnerable renters in Lawrence. This emergency resolution will go a long way in ensuring our families are protected should they have lost income during this unprecedented public health crisis,” said Mayor Daniel Rivera. “I want to thank Council President Kendrys Vasquez and the City Council for working with me in ensuring our residents will be protected in the event of lost income, and not worrying about rent or mortgage payments in the midst of a national emergency.”

This emergency resolution is the first step in enacting a city ordinance, which, if passed, will make the Rent/Mortgage Moratorium a city law. A virtual City Council meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 31^st, followed by discussion of the council to determine parameters regarding the proposed ordinance from Mayor Rivera. “What we are seeing in disruption of work, school, and life in general across the nation harkens back to Civil War times,” said Mayor Daniel Rivera. “Wartime surroundings require wartime action. Because of this, we must act now to protect both our renters and homeowners in the City of Lawrence. Residents should not have to worry about the bank taking their house and landlords evicting them when the adverse impact of Coronavirus (COVID-19) affects their livelihood.”