BIG NEWS yesterday as the Center for Disease Control (CDC) issued a nationwide eviction moratorium. Read more below from the National Low Income Housing Coalition:
The Centers for Disease Control and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced today an order to temporarily halt evictions to help prevent the spread of coronavirus. Citing the historic threat to public health, the Trump administration declared that an eviction moratorium would help ensure that people are able to practice social distancing and comply with stay-at-home orders. The announcement cites the increased risk of spreading coronavirus when people are evicted from their home or experience homelessness. The order takes effect on September 4.
To be covered under this action, renters must sign and provide to their landlord a declaration that they (1) have used their best efforts to obtain rental assistance; (2) expect to earn no more than $99,000 in 2020 (or no more than $198,000 if filing a joint tax return), was not required to report income in 2019 to the IRS, or received an Economic Impact Payment under the CARES Act; (3) are unable to pay the full rent or make a full rent payment due to loss of income, loss of work hours, or extraordinary medical costs; (4) are using best efforts to make partial rent payments; and (5) an eviction would result in homelessness or force them to double or triple up with other households. The eviction moratorium lasts through December 31, 2020.
The eviction moratorium does not provide emergency rental assistance resources to cover back rent, utilities, or fees. For this reason, the moratorium only postpones evictions rather than preventing them.
The only way to protect the 30 to 40 million renters at risk of losing their homes by the end of the year is for Congress and the White House return to the negotiating table and work out a deal for the next coronavirus relief package that includes the essential resources and protections provided in the HEROES Act. Congress must enact legislation that includes NLIHC’s top priorities: a national, uniform moratorium on all evictions for nonpayment of rent; at least $100 billion in emergency rental assistance through the “Emergency Rental Assistance and Rental Market Stabilization Act” and housing vouchers; and $11.5 billion to help prevent and respond to outbreaks among people experiencing homelessness.
Take Action
- Participate in the #GetBackToWork National Twitterstorm on September 9 from 1pm to 2pm ET to tell Congress that housing stability during and after this pandemic cannot wait. Call out the need for #RentReliefNow on social media, using our sample social media posts and images. Tag your member of Congress and demand action!
- Contact your senators and representatives: Demand that Congress and the White House restart negotiations and pass the essential housing provisions of the HEROES Act. Find the phone numbers of your members of Congress here or send an email!
- Use NLIHC’s Advocacy Toolkit to urge Congress to take immediate action to ensure people stay stably housed.
- Publish op-eds and letters to the editor in your local papers using NLIHC’s media toolkit here.
Thank you for your advocacy!
