Author: Chris Holden
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House passes pandemic housing bills; pressure on Senate Republicans to support more housing assistance
Editor’s Note: Contact your senators about the importance of passing these housing bills! Follow the three-step instructions below! A housing bill passed in June by the House of Representatives is one of several moves to pressure Senate Republicans into supporting major housing provisions in the next coronavirus stimulus package. Called the Emergency Housing Protections and…
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Experts fear for eviction crisis during coronavirus pandemic
July rent is due for millions of American renters, but many are still unable to pay as the coronavirus pandemic rages on. As states lift eviction moratoria, many fear a wave of evictions is soon to come. The Eviction Lab at Princeton University has been leading the effort to document the growing crisis of eviction…
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American renters want housing assistance during the pandemic
Low-income renters across the country are at risk of losing their homes because of the coronavirus pandemic. A new poll shows that more than half of all people worry that they will lose their housing without additional assistance, and the vast majority of Americans also feel the government should help people stay in stable housing…
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Speaker Pelosi talks about housing assistance during the pandemic
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) addressed affordable housing advocates and low-income renters this week in a webinar hosted by the National Low-Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC). During the call, Pelosi laid out the emergency housing measures recently passed by the House, and discussed next steps on affordable housing and coronavirus relief. Speaker Pelosi said…
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HUD report shows housing programs serve those with the lowest incomes
A recent HUD report shows that even though HUD programs reach a fraction of those who qualify, tenants in HUD-assisted housing are among the poorest and most vulnerable in our nation. HUD’s report, Characteristics of HUD-Assisted Renters and Their Units in 2017, is the tenth report in this series since 1989, and allows HUD to…
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Former inmates face housing discrimination during the pandemic
Prisons and jails around the country have become COVID-19 hot spots. In an effort to decompress correctional facilities, many state and local governments are allowing early release of some inmates. Those being released face the same problems finding housing as anyone else leaving the criminal justice system. However, they can also face discrimination because landlords…
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HEROES Act would give a lot of support to low-income renters
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) unveiled the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (HEROES) Act this week. This is the House’s latest aid package to help people and businesses hurt by the coronavirus pandemic. At $3 trillion, it would surpass the recent CARES Act as the largest aid package in U.S. history.…
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Housing experts say landlords cannot reject or evict tenants over coronavirus fears
Low-income renters face all kinds of roadblocks to finding affordable housing. For many, discrimination has historically been an obstacle to getting and keeping a decent place to live. With fears growing as the coronavirus pandemic spreads, can landlords evict tenants or deny applicants because they might be at risk for COVID-19? Most fair housing experts…
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House lawmakers push national eviction ban and rent suspension
Democratic lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives are pushing legislation that will ban evictions and suspend rent payments for all renters nationwide during the COVID-19 pandemic. Millions of renters are not covered by a patchwork of local, state and federal eviction moratoria. Even renters in places with eviction protections will still owe crippling back…
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Homeless persons face the worst of the coronavirus pandemic
Many state and local governments are recognizing that if COVID-19 spreads among the homeless population, it would be a public health disaster. Cities nationwide are making efforts to help the homeless, but there’s a lot of uncertainty when looking into the future. Shelters do not have the space for safe social distancing. Unsheltered people have…