Little should change with or without the CDC moratorium. It remains in the owners’ and renters’ best interest to work together to get the ERAP funding. The only reason to evict for nonpayment at this time is if the renter refuses to apply for ERAP or does not qualify due to no loss of income. In Milwaukee or Waukesha Counties, they can apply at Community Advocates. City of Milwaukee residents can also apply at SDC
If the renter is refusing to apply, send them to Mediate Milwaukee https://www.mediatewisconsin.org or call (414) 939-8800. If the renter refuses this as well, then eviction is probably the only option, but it should be the last option. Remember that in Milwaukee County less than 2.4% of eviction judgments are paid within 5 years, less than 7/10ths of 1% within 18 months. So rushing to court only stops future losses, it seldom results in recovering past rent.
The current CDC order addresses this issue at page 14, explicitly permitting challenges to improper declarations. Milwaukee County Court previously was requiring a motion hearing to challenge the dec. With the new CDC order, and if owners state the challenge to the declaration in the initial pleading/complaint, the Court should hear the challenge without the extra delay of a motion hearing.
The new CDC order at page 14:
This Order does not preclude a landlord challenging the truthfulness of a tenant’s, lessee’s, or resident’s declaration in court, as permitted under state or local law.