Gov. Wolf said Tuesday he does not have the authority to extend Pennsylvania's eviction moratorium past Aug. 31.
He called on the Republican-led legislature to do so in his stead, and to modify the state's rental and mortgage prevention programs so more people will use them.
In particular, the Rental Relief program's $750 cap is too low for the program to be effective in high-rent areas, the governor said.
The governor made his case in letters to the state House and Senate.
State Sen. Majority Leader Jake Corman said in a statement that Wolf's letter was the caucus' first notification of the problem, which he blamed on Wolf ruling by fiat.
“We are trying to figure out how, on one hand, the governor says he has the authority to limit the number of patrons in a restaurant but, on the other hand – all of a sudden – he no longer has the authority to continue his eviction moratorium policy that he enacted in May and has adjusted twice since then," Corman said.
