The basics 1. No statutory authority that i am aware of. 2.
Maybe a contractual (lease) duty since LL has failed to provide safe and
decent housing as a result of the "emergency". HOWEVER this is
contract law and so it is not clear that the "emergency" could be
construed as terminating the landlord's duty. That concept (there's a
latin term for it) could be offset if there were evidence of landlord
negligence in the emergency (eg. landlord failed to address known
electrical problems which resulted in a fire-see this week's rhinoUP). 3.
Maybe a "work out" in the case of subsidized housing where the HAP
could be maintained if the owner provides alternate housing. Example of
Walter Sellars fire where HUD continued to provide HAP payments and
tenants continued to pay rent and Wallick provided alternative housing
and then moved folks back into the rehabbed units. (I think this may
also have happened at Erie Square.)
