Emergency Eviction Enforcement Act of 2020

“125. Prohibitions on eviction

“2741. Prohibition on eviction during national emergency

“(a) Civil action—Any person injured by a violation of this section may bring a cause of action for injunctive relief and damages equal to three times to amount of the injury, and may be awarded attorneys’ fees.

“(b) In general—Whoever, being a lessor of a covered dwelling, knowingly—

“(1) repossesses or physically attempts to repossess a covered dwelling from a tenant of the covered dwelling without a duly issued order from a court of jurisdiction;

“(2) threatens, harasses, intimidates, or creates a hostile environment for a tenant of a covered dwelling for the purpose of causing the tenant to vacate the covered dwelling; or

“(3) impairs the habitability of a covered dwelling (including suspending utility service, changing locks, refusing to repair structure, plumbing, electrical, ventilation systems, maintain appliances in state of good repair) for the purpose of causing the tenant to vacate the covered dwelling,

“(c) Punishments—Whoever violates subsection (b) shall—

“(1) for a first offense, be imprisoned not more than 1 year or fined under this title, or both; and

“(2) for each subsequent offense, be imprisoned for not more than 5 years or fined under this title, or both.

“(d) Definition—In this section, the term “dwelling”—

“(1) has the meaning given the term in section 802 of the Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 3602); and

“(2) includes houses and dwellings described in section 803(b) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 3603(b)).”