FLINT, Mich. -- The Genesee County sheriff has put a two-week moratorium into effect on evicting renters.

Sheriff Robert Pickell's moratorium is in response to worries that renters living in foreclosed homes were being tossed out without notice. It began Monday.

Pickell said the ban is designed to give him and landlords time to devise a "more humane" way of evicting renters in such cases.

The Genesee Landlords Association argues that law-abiding landlords will be hurt, and it may take the sheriff to court.

The ban includes all rental tenants, regardless of if they are paying rent and regardless of if a foreclosure is involved.

Last week in Illinois, the Cook County sheriff said he would stop sending deputies on court-ordered mortgage foreclosure evictions because many of those forced from homes were renters who paid landlords faithfully.