DuPage County Temporarily Halts Court-Ordered Evictions

DUPAGE COUNTY, IL — Amid the ongoing coronavirus shutdown, DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick has halted court-ordered evictions for 30 days. According to DuPage County officials, Mendrick put the change into effect after learning about a woman who was evicted was "prepared to go to a shelter for the evening but was turned away by several who told her they are not taking any new clients to limit exposure to the COVID-19 virus."

In a statement, Mendrick said, "Halting all evictions for 30 days is the most humane thing to do as we continue to navigate this rapidly spreading disease. While we don’t want people to panic, I also want people to have a safe place to go and not be forced to sleep or live in their cars while everything gets sorted out."

Mendrick said the situation will be re-evaluated on April 17 after consulting with the DuPage Health Department and Centers for Disease Control and checking in with local shelters.

As part of the coronavirus-related closures, Mendrick also ceased in-person visits at DuPage County Jail. Meanwhile, clergy and attorneys can visit inmates and inmates will get a free extra 30 minutes of phone time.