What you must do to stay as evictions continue

It's the beginning of the month and rent is due for a lot of us.

If you're struggling to pay because of COVID-19 financial issues, you can avoid being locked out of your home.

NEARLY IN MARCH.

DESPITE THAT,BECAUSE OF NEW PROTECTIONS,SOME RENTERS WILL BE ABLE TOSTAY RIGHT WHERE THEY ARE.7:30 IF YOU CAN'T PAY RENTBECAUSE OF THE CORONAVIRUS..YOU CAN GIVE THAT INFORMATIONTO YOUR LANDLORD AND THEYCAN'T COME AND ACTUALLY LOCKYOU OUT OF YOUR HOME PAMBRIDGE IS AN ATTORNEY WITHCOMMUNITY LEGAL SERVICES, ANON PROFIT THAT HELPS LOWERINCOME ARIZONANS..

UNDER THEPROTECTIONS, RENTERS CANNOT BEREMOVED FOR 120 DAYS...BUTIT'S NOT AUTOMATIC.

YOUQUALIFY IF SOMEONE LIVINGTHERE HAS A COVID-19DIAGNOSIS, A HEALTH CONDITIONTHAT PUTS THEM AT RISK ORYOU'VE HAD A SUBSTANTIAL LOSSOF INCOME.

11:32 IF YOU CAN'TPAY RENT BECAUSE OF THECORONAVIRUS CHILD CARE ISSUES,YOU HAD TO STOP WORKING ORYOU'VE BEEN LAID, OFF, HOURSCUT..

BUT EVEN THEN..

NOTAUTOMATIC.

10:05 WHAT THETENANT CAN'T DO IS NOTHING, IFTHEY DO NOTHING AND DON'TCOMMUNICATE WITH THE LANDLORDTHEY WILL BE EVICTED AND WILLBE LOCKED OUT.

YOU MUST LETTHE LANDLORD KNOW YOU HAVE AQUALIFYING CONDITION CAUSINGFINANCIAL PROBLEMS... DO IT INWRITING, AN EMAIL OR TEXT,PROVIDE DOCUMENTATION LIKE AJOB LAYOFF NOTICE AND.... KEEPTHE PROOF YOU SENT IT TO THELANDLORD 9:47 SO IF THESHERIFF DOES COME TO THE HOUSETHEY CAN SAY HEY, HERE'S MYTEXT, HERE'S MY EMAIL THAT ISENT TO THE LANDLORD SO ISHOULDN'T BE LOCKED OUT..ST-UP/ BUT WHILE THERE'SPROTECTION AGAINST LOCKOUTS,THERE IS NOTHING STOPPINGEVICTIONS IN ARIZONA.LANDLORDS CAN STILL GO THROUGHTHE COURT PROCESS AND IF THERENTER DOESN'T QUALIFY FORCOVID-19 EXEMPTION, THEY CANSTILL BE REMOVED.

BRIDGEWONDERS HOW MANY OF THETHOUSANDS EVICTED LASTMONTH...IN MARICOPA COUNTYALONE... WILL BE LOCKED OUT...AT A TIME EVERYONE IS BEINGTOLD TO STAY INSIDE.

17:24HAVING FAMILIES MOVING RIGHTNOW, KIDS MOVING FROM SCHOOLSWHERE THEY MAY HAVE FREE LUNCHBREAKFAST AND OUT FOR LOOKINGFOR OTHER PLACES IS A HEALTHHAZARD SO COMMUNITY LEGALSERVICES HAS ASKED THE COURTSTO POSTPONE ALL EVICTIONS INMARICOPA COUNTY.

18:00 WE FELLTHIS IS A HEALTH HAZARD FORALL OF US NOT JUST LANDLORDSAND TENANTS TAG: THEY AREASKING FOR A 30 DAY EVICTIONPOSTPONEMENT BUT WANT ITLONGER IF VIRUS CONCERNSCONTINUE.

THE COURTS SAY NODECISION HAS BEEN REACHEDYET... NOW, YOU MAY ALSOQUALIFY FOR PART OF THE $5MILLION IN STATE HELP FORRENTERS..

GO TO ABC15.COM/LETJOEKNOW FOR THATINFORMATION.

I;M INVESTIGATORJOE DUCEY, IF YOU' VE GOT APROBLEM, LET ME KNOWWE HAVE SOME PRETTY SWEET NEWSTO TELL YOU ABOUT THAT COULDBRIGHTEN YOUR DAY.WE HAVE SOME PRETTY SWEET NEWSTO TELL YOU ABOUT THAT COULD