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CHRYSAFIS v. MARKS 

BREYER, J., dissenting 

2020 N. Y. Laws ch. 127, §§1, 2(2)(a).  Among other things, 
TSHA  instructs  New  York  courts  to  entertain  a  COVID-
related hardship defense in eviction proceedings, assessing 
a tenant’s income prior to COVID, income during COVID, 
liquid assets, and ability to obtain government assistance.  
§2(2)(b).  If the court finds the tenant “has suffered a finan-
cial hardship” during a statutorily-prescribed period, then 
it “shall [not] issue a warrant of eviction or judgment of pos-
session.”  §2(1). 
  JUSTICE  BREYER,  with  whom  JUSTICE  SOTOMAYOR  and 
JUSTICE KAGAN  join,  dissenting  from  grant  of  application 
for injunctive relief. 
  The New York Legislature has passed two laws regulat-
ing evictions during the COVID–19 pandemic.  The first is 
the  Tenant  Safe  Harbor  Act,  which  provides  tenants  who 
have “suffered a financial hardship during the COVID–19 
covered  period”  with  a  defense  in  eviction  proceedings.  
2020 N. Y. Laws ch. 127, §2.2.(a) (McKinney).  The second 
is the COVID–19 Emergency Eviction and Foreclosure Pre-
vention Act of 2020 (CEEFPA).  CEEFPA simplifies the pro-
cess  for  tenants  to  invoke  financial  hardship  during  the 
pandemic as a defense to eviction.  Tenants who wish to as-
sert  the defense must provide  a  sworn  attestation stating 
that they are experiencing financial hardship or health im-
pacts as a result of the pandemic.  2020 N. Y. Laws ch. 381, 
pt. A, §4.  The attestation pauses eviction proceedings until 
the time that CEEFPA expires, namely the end of August 
2021.    §§2,  4,  6,  8;  2021  N.  Y.  Laws  ch. 104  (establishing 
CEEFPA’s August 31, 2021, expiration date).  Pending evic-
tion proceedings are stayed, new eviction proceedings can-
not  be  filed,  and outstanding  eviction  warrants  cannot  be 
executed until that date.  2020 N. Y. Laws ch. 381, pt. A, 
§§2, 4, 6, 8.  Eviction proceedings may resume after August 
31, 2021. 
  Only  CEEFPA  is  before  us.    Applicants,  five  New  York