NEW YORK - With the city's economy still reeling from the pandemic, Mayor Bill de Blasio is asking the state to extend a key protection for tenants.

During his daily briefing Friday, he said wants Albany lawmakers to extend the eviction moratorium until late August.

The moratorium officially ended earlier this week, although evicition cases will not be taken to court until the first week of July.

The mayor also wants state legislation allowing tenants to pay landlords back rent over the course of 12 months, once they're able to make a living.

"Here's the bottom line: Anyone who can't afford to pay the rent because we're in the middle of a crisis. They lost their job because of the coronavirus, the economy's been shot. They don't have money to pay the rent. Anyone who can't pay the rent, should not evicted, period," De Blasio said.

The mayor also said the federal government should intervene to grant more protections to people struggling to pay rent.