There’s no hiding the fallout from the way the COVID-19 pandemic has ravaged the United States. It’s shuttering to think about, considering the response from the government has been less than favorable. We now know that over 9.9 million Americans are behind on their rent or mortgage.
What We Know:
- Data from the US Census Household Pulse Survey shows that at the end of October, 9.9 million Americans were not current on their rent or mortgage payments and had little to no confidence or hope that their household would be able to pay next month’s rent or mortgage on time.
“To be able to understand the eviction crisis that we’re facing today, we have to recognize where we were before Covid-19 came to our country –and that was in the midst of a severe affordable housing crisis,” said Diane Yentel, president and CEO of the National Low-Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC).
- Black America is plagued with several struggles right now, including but not limited to a sudden economic downturn, a grip of the population experiencing long-term homelessness, job loss, and now scrambling to figure out how to obtain or sustain a place they call home. The economic toll Covid-19 has had on families and individuals across the country is unprecedented, and there has been little light at the end of the tunnel.
- Few resources are available for those unable to pay their bills or rent, and the United States Senate has continued to stall on instant relief measures, including additional stimulus payments and extension of unemployment insurance (UI benefits) proposed by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and house democrats. Political pundits cite the heated election and partisan nature of current government leaders as an additional reason for the delay.
- At one point, President Donald Trump reversed course on offering relief, but the House and Senate failed to come to terms that would be acceptable to both parties. While leaders dispute, the trouble at home lingers on.
- Despite a recent eviction moratorium that has been issued by the CDC, hundreds of thousands of eviction actions have been filed according to data compiled by the Private Equity Stakeholders Project.
Relief
- The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued an order that bans evictions between September 4 and December 31, 2020, estimating up to 40 million people could lose their homes if it were not in place. To be eligible and covered by this, you will need to fill out a declaration form affirming that you meet several requirements, including applying for government assistance for rent or housing. If you meet all of the stringent conditions, you sign the declaration form and give a copy to your landlord. The NLIHC has the declaration form translated into 15 different languages.
The NLHIC has compiled a database of local resources to help citizens find local relief. The CDC is encouraging families in need to search for local relief in addition to completing the declaration form. A Justice Department listing of pro bono legal service provides may also provide relief for families already in litigation.
