People in Dallas Rally to Demand a Stop to Evictions When Federal Moratorium Ends Dec. 31

Members of the organization Dallas Stops Evictions and others braved the rain Friday to share their message.

"We demand that the city protect the renters, protect all working-class people and we demand that Judge Thomas Jones stop all evictions," Dallas Stops Evictions member Ryan Ahmadian said.

The federal eviction moratorium ends December 31 if there is no extension. That means eviction hearings could resume.

Ahmadian said this is the wrong time to evict anyone.

"When people with the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses with spikes and raises in cases, people are out of jobs,” Ahmadian said. “People are out of income which puts them behind on rent.  When they get behind on rent the chances of them ending up here is 90%."

Legal Aid of Northwest Texas advises renters to know their rights and seek help.

More aid is also coming for Texas in January through the Texas Eviction Diversion Program.

"That is going to be able to give money to various landlords if the landlord and tenant agree to participate in the program,” Legal Aid of Northwest Texas attorney K’Lisha Rutledge said.

Judge Thomas Jones came out to try and speak to the group. However, they refused to allow him to speak on the issue. 

They only wanted their voices heard.

"The city must stop all evictions because evictions destroy lives and they leave families vulnerable,” Ahmadian said. “The city must cancel all rents. And landlords have already gotten their bailout from the government, but the working class and the renters are still waiting for their bailout."

The City of Dallas recently partnered with Legal Aid of Northwest Texas to launch the Dallas Eviction Assistance Initiative that provides education and legal services to tenants negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The City will continue this service in 2021.

Here is a list of resources provided by the City of Dallas and Legal Aid of Northwest Texas.

Rental and Mortgage Assistance

• Visit www.dallascityhall.com/covid19 or call the City of Dallas COVID-19 Resource and Information Hotline at 214-670-INFO (4636)

COVID-19 Community Resource Hub (free and reduced-cost services in Dallas)

• Visit communityresources.dallascityhall.com (English) recursoscomunitarias.alcaldiadedallas.com (Spanish)

Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas COVID-19 Resources

• Visit www.lanwt.org/covid-19
• Call our Legal Aid Line at 888-529-5277, M-F
• Visit texaslawhelp.org for legal information and forms
• Visit www.stoptxeviction.org, a statewide portal for eviction help and information

Here is a list of resources available to non-Dallas residents:

• Dallas County’s Tenant Hotline webpage at dallascounty.org/covid-19/tenant-hotline.php
• Collin County’s CARES Assistance at collincountytx.gov/cares/
• Denton County’s United Way Denton at unitedwaydenton.org/covidrelief