Eviction protections end Tuesday, with exception for pending COVID-19 rental assistance applications

Tuesday marks another milestone as Minnesota’s eviction moratorium winds down.

Property managers can begin filing evictions for people who owe past-due rent. But some people will still be able to avoid that.

Tuesday, the state will lift all lease termination and eviction protections except for eligible renters with pending COVID-19 rental assistance applications.

That means those behind on rent and who haven’t applied for pandemic assistance must do so.

Landlords can still file an eviction, but if renters receive a notice of eviction, they can still apply for assistance and potentially halt that eviction action.

The state was given $672 million from the federal government in emergency aid to help cover fees for renters.

But the Minnesota Department of Housing says, as of last Thursday, only about $302 million in assistance has been requested.

That comes from more than 49,000 applications.

Just Friday, the Minneapolis City Council unanimously approved a measure to provide legal counsel to low-income residents that are being evicted.

The new policy includes tenants who are making less than twice the federal poverty line.

Those who do need help filing for assistance can visit the RentHelpMN website. According to the Minnesota Department of Housing, there is no deadline to apply for RentHelpMN.

There’s a renter checklist for eligibility and also forms to upload as part of the application process.