The state-wide moratorium on residential evictions would be extended for another two months in a COVID-19 emergency proclamation that Gov. David Ige plans to issue this week.

“We will be extending the moratorium on evictions of residential properties for another two months,” Ige said today.

His announcement came amid better-than expected economic news for Hawaii’s, tourism-battered economy.

Hawaii’s Safe Travels Program is helping to increase the number of tourists and “that is helping to re-open hotels and helping to re-open restaurants and small businesses that depend on travelers, in particular,” Ige said.

But the state’s revenues for January remained down 9.4% from the same time last year, meaning cuts remain part of the state’s financial plan, Ige said.

The latest round of federal stimulus allows for even more flexibility for renters and property owners struggling to keep up with mortgage payments.

Now there is new financial help for utility payments, Ige said, and now both landlords and renters can apply for financial help.

The Honolulu Star-Advertiser previously reported that applications for previous rental aid were not being funded because an unknown number of landlords refused to participate — out of the assumption that they did not want their rental operations disclosed.

Ige called the new rules intended to help struggling renters “a big change” that will be handled by each county going forward instead of the state.

There are still no plans to provide rent relief for commercial properties, a situation that Ige called “real challenging.”

It’s difficult to create “a level playing field” eviction moratorium on commercial properties “without unfairly advantaging one side,” Ige said.

Instead, Ige said he supports on-going efforts to provide direct financial help to small businesses.