With time having run out on Hawaii’s eviction moratorium, struggling renters have resorted to mediation to keep from ending up on the street.
Friday, Aug. 6, was the deadline for the moratorium, and Gov. David Ige (D) notified the Hawaii State Legislature and Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald that he has no plans to extend it further, a news release from the governor’s office said.
The moratorium has been in place since April 17, 2020.
“At that time, the COVID-19 pandemic caused travel around the world to come to a halt. Hundreds of thousands of Hawaii residents who depend on the visitor industry for their livelihood were out of work, and I issued the first moratorium to prevent mass evictions,” Ige said, according to the news release. “The pandemic is not yet over, but thanks to safe and effective vaccines, many residents are now back at work.”
When the moratorium ended, landlords once again had the authority to commence eviction proceedings against a tenant who is at least four months behind on rent, as well as collect all of the back rent that is due, KHON2 reported.
In the case of an eviction, two notices would be sent: one to the tenant and the other to one of five community mediation centers in the state, which will convene a meeting with the tenant within a two-week window. Act 57, signed by Governor Ige, encourages landlords and tenants to seek resolution through mediation and extends the period to provide an eviction notice from five to 15 days.
Ige’s office recommends that tenants who may not have been able to catch up on their rent payments should seek immediate assistance from the jurisdictions they live in. All levels of government and service providers are working together to prevent evictions following the moratorium’s expiration, the governor's office said.
“The Judiciary has been working since last year with agencies and community partners across the state to prepare for the expected increase in eviction case filings once the moratorium is lifted,” Recktenwald said, according to the news release. “We are grateful to those partners for their efforts. I also want to thank Governor Ige and the Legislature, especially Representatives Troy Hashimoto and Nadine Nakamura, for working collaboratively to enact legislation to help tenants and landlords resolve their disputes during these unprecedented times.”
KHON2 reported that the extension on expired driver’s licenses and state IDs also ended on Aug. 6. After that time, those who haven’t renewed their licenses or IDs could face penalties.