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Eviction Ban Extended Through October 3rd

August 9, 2021

From the Office for Social Ministry

Get Informed, Be Proactive, Take Care of Your Kuleana

At least 10,000 households in Hawaii are currently falling behind in their rent payments during this COVID crisis. But thanks to new guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Protection, the new federal moratorium on evictions applies to all Hawaiian counties and has been extended  to at least October 3^rd. This means thousands of families will now have extra time to work out a payment plan with their landlords, without the risk of being evicted. If you receive an eviction notice and want to be covered by the CDC’s Moratorium, you are required to complete the CDC’s Eviction Protection Declaration form. A link to the form with the most updated information can be found on the State Homelessness Initiative resource page at Homelessness Initiative | Eviction Moratorium Resources (hawaii.gov).]

As a transition period, lawmakers passed Act 57 to make temporary changes to the Hawaii State Landlord-Tenant Code for one year, which include the following:

• A 15-day eviction notice for non-payment of rent instead of the normal 5-day notice;
• Notices must be sent by the landlord to their local mediation center; and
• Specific info must be provided on eviction notices (e.g., right to and contact for mediation).

Act 57 mediation is now a necessary step before eviction. It gives time for landlords and tenants to negotiate how payment will be made with the assistance of a neutral third party. The ultimate goal is for both parties to agree on a fair payment plan that keeps tenants in their homes. If you or anyone you know receives an eviction notice, the letter should include contact information for the Mediation program on your island.  DO NOT DELAY IN SCHEDULING YOUR APPOINTMENT. These are the designated mediation offices by island or County:

OʻAHU: Mediation Center of the Pacific at
https://www.mediatehawaii.org/ or phone (808) 807-0080.

EAST HAWAI‘I: Ku‘ikahi Mediation Center at
https://hawaiimediation.org/ or phone (808) 935-7844 ext. 8

WEST HAWAI‘I: West Hawai‘i Mediation Center at
https://whmediation.org/our-services/landlord-tenant or phone (808) 664-0991.

MAUI COUNTY: Maui Mediation Services at
https://www.mauimediation.org/landlordtenant/ or phone (808) 244-5744.

KAUAʻI COUNTY: Kauai Economic Opportunity, Inc. Mediation Program at
(808) 245-4077 x229 or x237 or email mediation@keoinc.org

For more information, go to the Legal Aid Society of Hawaii’s I CAN’T PAY MY RENT/MORTGAGE webpage.