COLUMBUS, Ohio — In an attempt to assist the state's small businesses who are suffering during the current COVID-19 pandemic, Gov. Mike DeWine signed an executive order during his Wednesday briefing.
The order seeks to provide help for mortgage and rent payments for Ohio's small businesses. Through the order, DeWine says he is issuing a plea to lenders and landlords across the state to work with their small businesses and suspend payments for at least 90 days.
"We know that these businesses are hurting and have made hard choices," DeWine said prior to signing the order.
According to Lt. Governor Jon Husted, the goal of the executive order is to prevent foreclosures. "You know that the federal government stopped the foreclosure on residential mortgages. You know that through actions of the legislature, the courts have the ability to suspend eviction," he told the media during Wednesday's briefing. "But there is a connectivity problem - if someone can't pay their rent and we're not evicting them, then the person who owns the complex isn't getting the money they need to pay their commercial loan. So we are creating a 90-day pause."
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