Governor prohibits evictions, foreclosures during stay-at-home order

Montana Gov. Steve Bullock said today he has issued a directive prohibiting landlords from evicting tenants for nonpayment of rent during his stay-at-home order to reduce the spread of COVID-19, and prohibited residential foreclosures on home owners who miss payments due to the stay-at-home order.

The directive also applies to major utilities shutting off services due to nonpayment resulting from the stay-at-home order and prohibits late fees and charges due to late or missed payments due to the stay-at-home order.

"While we’re asking Montanans to stay home to stop the spread of this virus, Montanans need to know that we’ve got their back," he said.

Bullock said his directive requires what many in the state already had been doing.

"Montanans and Montana businesses take care of one another," he said. "So many Montana businesses have already stepped up on this front and I want to especially commend them and their work and their dedication to all of our communities."

He said the directive also allows Montana hospitals and health facilities to receive funding throughMontana Facility Financing Act for operating expenses connected to COVID-19.

Bullock said the federal stimulus package, the CARES Act that passed last week, provide support for medical facilities' operating expenses, but that will probably take time.

Allowing the state financing will allow facilities to meet an immediate need to purchase supplie,s pay staff and remain open, he said.

"For weeks,both rural and urban hospitals have served on the front lines of this crisis and they need our support to continue protecting Montanans," he said

Bullock said he also authorized the National Guard at major airports and railway stations to do temperature checks and screen for potential history of contact with novel coronavirus 2019 that causes COVID-19 of travelers coming into the state.

He noted that Monday he issued a directive ordering travelers coming into Montana, both residential and nonresidential, to go into a 14-day quarantine to reduce the spread of the coronavirus.

He said the state Department of Commerce has been directed to notify all rentals, bread-and-breakfasts and any business that provides lodging to visitors coming into the state that the 14-day quarantine will be required.

Watch for more in Wednesday's edition of the Havre Daily News.