Evictions remain on hold for residents of New York through 2021, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on a conference call with reporters Monday.

Housing advocates have worried about the fate of residents at risk of eviction as unemployment in the state remains high and congressional aid hangs in limbo.

The governor's latest extension of the eviction moratorium lasts until Jan. 1, 2021.

New York originally halted evictions statewide against all tenants in mid-March.

That changed in May, when New York limited the moratorium to individuals who qualified for unemployment or who couldn’t pay rent because of COVID-19.

Last week, Cuomo extended the ban on COVID-related commercial evictions and foreclosures an additional month. That extension will be in place until Oct. 20, according to the state.

The moratorium extends protections that are already in place for commercial tenants and mortgagors related to the financial toll seen by business owners as a result of the ongoing pandemic.

The extension "allows commercial tenants and mortgagors additional time to get back on their feet and catch up on rent or their mortgage, or to renegotiate their lease terms to avoid foreclosure moving forward," according to the state. 

"The pandemic remains far from over, and we need to continue protecting the business owners supporting their families amid restrictions necessary to protect the public health," Cuomo said in a statement. "That's why it's the right decision to extend the eviction ban for commercial tenants another 30 days."

In a previous call with reporters, Cuomo has said he plans to protect from evictions through the end of the pandemic.

“Until when? Until I say COVID is over. And you know, we’ll figure out when that is," the governor said.