https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2020-09-04/pdf/2020-19654.pdf
The earlier CDC release stated that tenants did not have to provide proof with the declaration, but the landlord could request/challenge it.
The published rule, but of course it is not a rule, but an order, as rules have rules, does not appear to have a mechanism to challenge the validity of the tenants’ declarations. (see below) Instead, I guess you have to report the tenant to the FBI if you feel they lied.
It is uncertain what an owner must do to be found in violation. Do you actually have to evict after receiving a declaration, which courts should prevent from occurring? Or would issuing a summons after receiving a declaration trigger a violation? But how do you challenge the validity of the declaration if not in court?
I do not see specifically that issuing a 5-Day notice is a violation, but I’m sure that will be argued.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/02/your-money/eviction-moratorium-covid.html
A lawyer can also help if a landlord tries a different approach. For instance, a landlord might try to sue in small claims court over partial payments, without filing an eviction notice that might be illegal under the order, Mr. Dunn said.
The sample declaration form does not say anything about whether I need to prove my hardship to my landlord. Should I attach bank statements or other documents?No, not to the declaration — at least not at first. The way the order is written means you need not lay out specifics in your declaration, said Emily Benfer, a visiting professor of law at Wake Forest University.
If the landlord challenges your initial assessment, however, you should provide “reasonable” specifics to prove your eligibility, according to senior administration officials who helped write the order.
This last sentence was in the CDC press release two days ago but is absent now.
