Eviction risk of 250K Cook County homes if state doesn’t extend moratorium, Sheriff Dart warns

Evictions during the pandemic would force residents to go to homeless shelters or the friends and families’ homes, increasing the risk of coronavirus exposure, Sheriff Tom Dart wrote in a letter to Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

By David Struett@dstru312 Aug 19, 2020, 6:57pm CDT

Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart Sun-Times file



Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart Wednesday urged Gov. J.B. Pritzker to extend the state’s evictions
moratorium past the expiration date this weekend as residents await funding assistance that is still being doled out.

In a letter to Pritzker and Cook County Chief Judge Timothy Evans, Dart warned that not extending the moratorium past Saturday would put as many as 250,000 households in the county at risk of eviction.

Evicting residents during the COVID-19 pandemic, Dart wrote, would force them to go to homeless shelters or the homes of friends and families, increasing the risk of exposure in the community.

“Like you, I have been tremendously concerned about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, not just on the health and safety of residents, but on the economic future of the entire community,” Dart wrote. “The evictions moratorium set to expire on August 22nd has been a critical component of ensuring economic stability along with government efforts to aid both tenants and property owners.”