SC chief justice blocks evictions statewide in response to coronavirus
S.C. Chief Justice Don Beatty halted all evictions statewide on Tuesday in response to the economic disruption caused by the coronavirus.
The chief justice’s order postpones all eviction proceedings in county magistrate court this month until May 1, except in cases that involve “essential services and/or harm to person or property,” according to the chief justice’s order.
The order comes as businesses across the state either close or scale back operations due to the spread of coronavirus, leaving some workers in a precarious situation.
Later on Tuesday, Columbia City Council was set to vote on a measure asking magistrate judges to halt eviction proceedings during the state of emergency caused by the spread of coronavirus in South Carolina.
That measure would ask the judges who handle evictions in Richland and Lexington counties to pause proceedings against renters who may have lost jobs due to business shutdowns caused by the virus.
“We want to reduce the personal instability for folks who are not able to pay their bills, while also being thoughtful of the property owners who have to go through a laborious process,” said Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin, before Beatty’s order was issued.
Benjamin notes the city doesn’t have the authority to end evictions on its own. The city council can only ask county magistrates to take the ongoing public health crisis into account.
“If it’s someone in the last days of the process because they missed payments going back to 2019, that’s different from someone who is obviously affected because they just got laid off,” Benjamin said.
“We’ve got to find a way to be compassionate during what could be the greatest economic crisis of our generation,” Benjamin said.
Police are in charge of serving eviction notices and Columbia Police Department said it would abide by any resolutions passed by city council concerning evictions being halted. The department is ready to go a step further.
The code enforcement division of the department occasionally has to move people from their homes because of unsafe conditions, such as not having heat or water or other housing code violations, a department spokesperson said. If a family or person is moved from their home for safety reasons, the police department would help them find housing.
“(Columbia Police Department) would work with local partners to identify appropriate shelter for citizens especially during the pandemic crisis,” department spokesperson Jennifer Timmons said.
On Monday, Benjamin declared a citywide state of emergency, following similar actions by the federal and state governments. That measure puts restrictions on local restaurants, limiting six patrons to each restaurant table and requiring six feet between tables. Other businesses are required to reduce their occupancy by 50%.
Diners are also encouraged to use take-out, drive-through and delivery options, according to the ordinance.
The city has been proactive in responding to the virus, which has caused 33 reported cases in South Carolina as of Monday, and led to the death of at least one patient in Lexington County. The city has suspended disconnections of water service, since health experts say everyone should regularly wash their hands with soap and water to prevent the spread of the disease.
Events have been canceled and city parks closed to limit social contact during the outbreak. The city is also asking the public to stream its council meetings online, and even asked up to three council members to call into its meetings instead of attending in person.
The mayor said he hopes state officials are willing to take similar measures to address the suffering caused by the coronavirus outbreak. He called on lawmakers to hold on to a projected $1.8 billion surplus in the state’s budget this year to deal with disruptions caused by the outbreak.
“It would be easier if the governor or the Legislature stepped in to do something statewide,” Benjamin said.
This story was originally published March 17, 2020 at 12:47 PM.
.jpg)