COVID-19 & Housing/Homelessness

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) will launch a new effort to increase awareness of the federal eviction moratorium’s protections. The CFPB and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will enforce penalties against landlords who violate the order. Read the joint statement of CFPB Acting Director Dave Uejio and FTC Acting Chairwoman Rebecca Slaughter on preventing illegal evictions.

Renters can file complaints against their landlords if they violate the CDC moratorium with the CFPB at http://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/, and with the FTC at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/#/?pid=A.

Updated on March 31, 2021

According to a new report from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, an estimated 11 million families are at risk for eviction, with Black and Hispanic households more than twice as likely to be behind on their housing payments than white households. Read the report at: Housing Insecurity and the COVID-19 Pandemic. 

Updated on March 08, 2021

Fact Sheet: The Biden-Harris Administration’s Multi-Agency Effort to Support Renters and Landlords

Updated on March 31, 2021

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The Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of Veterans Affairs, and Department of Agriculture on February 16 announced a coordinated extension and expansion of forbearance and foreclosure relief programs.

Updated on February 22, 2021

Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) and 28 of her Senate colleagues sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on February 3 urging the Treasury Department to publish specific procedures addressing how people experiencing homelessness can access the stimulus payments provided in the latest coronavirus relief package.

Updated on February 17, 2021

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Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) led 52 House members in asking HUD and Treasury to rescind the overly restrictive guidance released by the Treasury Department on January 19 regarding the emergency rental assistance program.

Updated on February 01, 2021

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Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), incoming chairman of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, has announced that housing affordability and access to housing will be a long-term priority for the committee. Senator Brown said his first priority will be to extend the CDC eviction moratorium and provide additional emergency rental assistance.

Updated on January 15, 2021

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Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on September 17, urging the White House to include rental assistance in any future COVID-19 relief legislation. Senator Collins is the first Senate Republican to call so publicly for emergency rental assistance. (see Memo 9/21)

Updated on September 29, 2020

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Representative Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) led 44 members of Congress in demanding that the Departments of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Treasury, and Agriculture provide additional protections to renters during the pandemic. “The Trump administration has done nothing to protect the tens of millions of renters at risk of eviction, instead choosing empty gestures and brinkmanship,” said NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel in a press statement released by Representative Bonamici. 

Updated on September 10, 2020

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The Hill reports that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is facing growing calls from members of both parties to bring the Senate back from their August recess to take up a coronavirus package and address the Postal Service crisis.

Updated on August 25, 2020.

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Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Chairwoman of the House Committee on Financial Services, on August 10 released a one-pager addressing President Trump's executive order on housing.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-NY) discussed the urgent need for $100 billion in emergency rental assistance during a press conference on August 14.

In an op-ed in the Washington Post, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) discusses the accelerating housing crisis occurring nationwide. She outlines actions that Congress must take to prevent the looming eviction crisis and stop predatory companies from further destabilizing the housing market.

Senator Ben Sasse (R-NE) on August 8 became the first Republican to criticize the president’s executive actions on coronavirus relief, calling them “unconstitutional slop.”

Updated on August 19, 2020.

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Secretary Mnuchin said negotiators are discussing a compromise on eviction moratoriums and rental assistance. Previously, while Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has offered to extend an eviction moratorium until the end of the year, the White House proposal did not include the homeowner and rental assistance that Democrats have demanded. President Trump maintains that he has the power to enact an eviction moratorium through an executive order, but it is not clear how that would work.
Politico reports that a growing number of Republican lawmakers, including Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID), chair of the Senate Banking Committee, want the party’s leadership to include rental assistance and an eviction moratorium in the next economic relief package.
“Democrats will not stop fighting to extend the moratorium on evictions AND provide assistance to renters in this crisis. #RentReliefNow,” tweeted Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) on August 5.
Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) co-authored an op-ed in the Hill urging Congress to take immediate action to prevent the current public health and economic crisis from becoming a homelessness crisis. Senator Coons urges Congress to extend the federal supplemental unemployment insurance benefits, enact the “Emergency Rental Assistance and Rental Market Stabilization Act,” and pass the “Coronavirus Housing Counsel Improvement Act.”
President Trump said on August 3 that his administration is considering steps they can take unilaterally if Congress does not reach a deal. “A lot of people are going to be evicted, but I’m going to stop it because I’ll do it myself if I have to,” said President Trump.
Politico reports that Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID), chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, is urging federal agencies to extend economic relief measures. In a letter to housing and bank regulators, Senator Crapo urged the officials to use their authority to continue eviction protections and looser lending rules. 
The Hill reports that former Vice President Joe Biden is urging Congress and President Trump to enact an emergency housing package.

Updated on August 11, 2020.

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Representatives Adriano Espaillat (D-NY) and Jesús “Chuy” Garcia (D-IL), along with 41 of their colleagues sent a letter to Congressional leaders urging them to include $100 billion for emergency rental assistance in the next coronavirus relief package.

Representatives Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and Joe Kennedy III (D-MA) on July 23 introduced the “We Need Eviction Data Now Act of 2020” (H.R. 7743), which would create a national database to standardize data and track evictions. “Our nation is on the cusp of a tsunami of evictions and homelessness unless Congress acts to provide emergency rental assistance and other protections,” said NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel. “This impending eviction crisis underscores the critical need for the ‘We Need Eviction Now Act.’” 

Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Chairwoman of the House Committee on Financial Services, released a statement on the Senate Republicans’ HEALS Act: “I remain focused on the emergency need to provide housing relief...Any legislative compromise with the Senate on coronavirus legislation must make housing relief a priority and must not include giveaways to Wall Street.”

Updated on August 4, 2020.

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“To avoid a tsunami that could put millions of people out on the street, Congress should extend and expand the national eviction moratorium, provide emergency rental assistance, and increase funding for families experiencing homelessness,” wrote Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) in an op-ed in the New York Times. Senator Warren introduced the “Protecting Renters from Evictions and Fees Act,” which would extend and broaden the eviction moratoriums included in the CARES Act to protect all renters in the U.S. for a full year.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has criticized the emerging Republican coronavirus relief package for failing to fund rental assistance, extend unemployment benefits, or provide hazard pay for essential workers.

“Unfortunately, by all accounts the Senate Republicans are drafting legislation that comes up short in a number of vital areas, such as extending unemployment benefits or funding for rental assistance, hazard premium pay for frontline workers, or investments in communities of color being ravaged by the virus, and many other necessary provisions,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) wrote in a letter to colleagues.

Updated on July 28, 2020.

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House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-NY) said that she would delay or cancel August recess to pass a coronavirus relief bill. Speaker Pelosi discussed the need to approve assistance to help people remain stably housed as evictions and foreclosures expire.

Updated on July 20, 2020.

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Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Representatives Jesus “Chuy” Garcia (D-IL) and Barbara Lee (D-CA) introduced legislation on June 29 to extend the nationwide eviction moratorium. The “Protecting Renters from Evictions and Fees Action” would extend the moratorium on evictions for nonpayment of rent for one year, starting from March 27. The bill would also significantly expand the current federal eviction moratorium to include most renters. Read the bill summary here.

“Without a significant federal intervention, there will be a rash of evictions and a spike in homelessness across the country. Ensuring housing stability for all is both a moral imperative and a public health necessity. I applaud Senator Warren, Representatives Chuy Garcia and Lee for introducing legislation today that will keep renters in their homes and give them the security and stability needed to stay safe throughout the duration of the pandemic,” said NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) on June 29, urging him to immediately begin bipartisan negotiations on the next coronavirus relief package. “As Americans struggle to make rent payments and face evictions, and as our health care and childcare systems face unprecedented burdens, Senate Republicans have been missing in action at your direction,” the letter reads.

Representative Maxine Waters (D-CA), Chairwoman of the House Committee on Financial Services, and Representative Denny Heck (D-WA) discussed the legislation they introduced to meet the urgent need for emergency rental assistance.

Updated on July 7, 2020.

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Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Representative Adriano Espaillat (D-NY) sent a joint letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) in which they discuss the urgent need to pass the “Housing Survivors of Major Disasters Act” (S. 1605, H.R. 2914).

During the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs June 9 hearing, Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) asked HUD Secretary Ben Carson, “how many people are going to be homeless? How many people are going to lose their homes, and what are you as an administration going to do about it?”

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is increasing pressure on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) to approve the “Emergency Rental Assistance and Rental Market Stabilization Act,” as included in the HEROES Act, in the next coronavirus relief package. 

Representatives Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) and Mike Levin (D-CA) and Senators Dan Sullivan (R-AK) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) introduced the “Homeless Veteran Coronavirus Response Act” (H.R. 2223, S. 3898) on June 4, which would provide the Department of Veterans Affairs with flexibility to care for veterans experiencing homelessness during the pandemic.

Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) spoke at a virtual roundtable hosted by the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio, an NLIHC state partner, to discuss the “Emergency Rental Assistance and Rental Market Stability Act.”

Updated on June 12, 2020.

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Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO) penned an op-ed in the Colorado Sun urging Congress to directly address the housing crisis in the next relief package. In addition to drawing from proposals in the “Evictions Crisis Act,” which he introduced with Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) in December, Senate Bennet proposed including $100 billion in emergency rental assistance, $20 billion to fight homelessness and expand vouchers, and increased resources for state and local governments.

Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) wrote to HUD Secretary Ben Carson on May 22, urging the department to quickly distribute more than $9 billion in housing and homelessness assistance appropriated by Congress through the CARES Act.

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Congressman David Price (D-NC), Chairman of the Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development Appropriations Subcommittee, and Ranking Member Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) sent a letter to HUD Secretary Ben Carson, urging the department to immediately take steps to ensure that CARES Act funds are promptly disbursed to state and local governments.
Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) penned an op-ed in the Richland Source discussing the urgent need for his bill, the “Emergency Rental Assistance and Rental Market Stabilization Act,” to be included in the next coronavirus relief package. 
Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) emphasized the urgency of passing the next coronavirus relief bill despite Republican lawmakers’ opposition. “They may think it’s okay to pause but people are hungry across America, hunger doesn’t take a pause. People are jobless across America, that doesn’t take a pause. People don’t know how they’re going to pay their rent across the country. We have to address this with humanity,” she added. 
“The HEROES Act tailors aid to the hardest hit Americans, and I’m proud to have written the provision that directs a large portion of the bill’s funds toward rental assistance for those who most need it,” said Representative Denny Heck (D-WA).

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The House voted to approve the “HEROES Act” on May 15. The White House and Senate Republicans have denounced the bill. The HEROES Act provides $200 billion in housing and homelessness resources, including NLIHC’s top priorities to ensure housing stability during and after the coronavirus pandemic for people experiencing homelessness and America’s lowest-income and most marginalized people. For more details on the HEROES Act, see NLIHC’s analysis.

Representatives David Price (D-NC) and Nita Lowey (D-NY) discussed in an op-ed how the coronavirus crisis is exacerbating America’s preexisting housing crisis, and urged Congress to provide significant housing resources, including additional rental assistance, funding for public housing, assistance for people experiencing homelessness, and funds for Native American tribes.

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Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) and 27 of her Senate colleagues sent a letter on April 7 urging Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to take the steps necessary to ensure that people experiencing homelessness receive coronavirus relief payments.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said that Democrats are considering approximately $1 trillion in state and local government needs for the next coronavirus spending bill. Republican lawmakers, however, rejected the idea of providing such a significant amount of money to state and local budgets. House Democrats are considering a variety of other provisions, including money for health care providers, food stamps, direct payments to individuals, housing assistance, and others. Pelosi suggested that the House will be returning to the Capitol the week of May 11.

Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Chuck Schumer (D-NY) released a report on April 30 detailing the disproportionate impact that the coronavirus is having on communities of color. The report also lists Democratic priorities for future coronavirus relief packages, including funding to address the urgent needs of people experiencing homelessness and emergency rental assistance for low-income renters. 

House Democrats are moving quickly on plans to create a fourth coronavirus stimulus package. “This fourth package will be about recovery” said Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). Some predict an even harder battle to get the bill passed.

Representatives Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Marc Veasey (D-TX), and 40 of their colleagues wrote a letter to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig urging them to take action to address the barriers that could prevent individuals experiencing homeless from receiving their stimulus checks.

Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN) introduced on April 17 a bill to cancel rental and home mortgage payments during COVID-19. Read more about the “Rent and Mortgage Cancellation Act” in NLIHC's Memo to Members. Read the press release from Rep. Omar here: https://tinyurl.com/y84aduj9.

Representatives Jesus “Chuy” Garcia (D-IL), Adriana Espaillat (D-NY), and 49 of their colleagues sent a letter House and Senate leadership urging them to include $100 billion for emergency rental assistance in the next emergency stimulus package to help people stay in their homes. 

Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Congressman Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09) today led the entire New Jersey congressional delegation in a letter urging the Trump Administration to approve the request from Governor Phil Murphy for FEMA to fund an housing program to provide quarantined sheltering for COVID-19 patients, including the homeless and frontline healthcare workers.

Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) and 27 sponsors sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Mnuchin regarding the direct relief payments from the CARES Act. The letter urges Secretary Mnuchin to make sure that people experiencing homeless know about their eligibility for these payments, and that Treasury find a way to distribute the money without creating barriers to access.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced the creation of a new House Select Committee on the Coronavirus which will be tasked with overseeing stimulus funding.

Congressman Jerry McNerney (D-CA) sent a letter to the Trump Administration pressing them for details about how federal agencies are working to ensure the proper care of America’s homeless population during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) sat down with VOX to talk about a plan for combatting Coronavirus – boosting the construction of affordable housing is a major element. 

Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) released an op-ed calling for a more grassroots stimulus.

Representative Al Green (D-TX) introduced a bill to provide support for fair housing enforcement activities associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Representative Steve Stivers (R-OH) introduced two pieces of legislation to protect public housing residents during the coronavirus pandemic. The first, the Protecting Our Elderly Residents Act, requires HUD to establish guidelines to limit the spread of COVID-19 in elderly housing properties and public housing. The second, the PHA Public Housing Flexible Funding Act, allows public housing authorities to use operating and capital funds to address the ongoing public health emergency.

Representative Ted Budd (R-NC) introduced the Informed Resident Notification Act, which requires public housing authorities to notify all residents in a public dwelling when a COVID-19 outbreak is detected.

Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) introduced S. 3534, the Pandemic Assistance Disaster Act, which would clarify the ability of FEMA to provide financial assistance directly to individuals during a pandemic, including the current coronavirus outbreak.

Representative Denny Heck (D-WA) introduced the Emergency Rental Assistance Act of 2020, which would increase short-term rental assistance for most Americans by expanding the Emergency Solutions Grant Program.

Representatives Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) introduced legislation, The Public Health Emergency Shelter Act, that would provide $15.5 billion in emergency grants for homeless assistance.

Representatives Jesύs “Chuy” García (D-IL) and Barbara Lee (D-CA) introduced the Rental Eviction Moratorium Act, which institutes a nationwide eviction ban that self-terminates six months after the President’s Emergency Declaration is ended by FEMA.

Representative Nydia M. Veláquez (D-NY) introduced legislation that temporarily suspends rent contribution requirements owed by tenants living public housing or those who receive Housing Choice Vouchers during the coronvirus emergency.

CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky on March 29 announced a 90-day extension of the federal eviction moratorium through June 30, 2021.

Updated on March 31, 2021

The CDC on March 2 updated its COVID-19 vaccine guidance on prioritizing certain populations, including those in congregate living settings, such as homeless shelters: “Increased rates of transmission have been observed in congregate living settings. Therefore, jurisdictions may choose to prioritize vaccination of persons in these settings based on local, state, tribal, or territorial epidemiology.” 

Updated on March 08, 2021

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CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky on January 29 issued an order extending the federal eviction moratorium through March 31, 2021.

Updated on February 08, 2021

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CDC Director Rochelle Walensky announced on January 20 that the agency will extend its federal eviction moratorium until at least March 31, 2021.

Updated on January 25, 2021

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced on September 1 an order to temporarily halt evictions to help prevent the spread of coronavirus. The order took effect on September 4 and lasts through December 31, 2020. See NLIHC’s National Eviction Moratorium resource page for more information.

Updated on September 10, 2020

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The Center for Disease Control and Prevention issued guidance cautioning against the clearing of homeless encampments during the community spread of COVID-19. The move was celebrated by the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty’s Housing not Handcuffs Campaign – of which NLIHC is a part.

FEMA announced on March 25 that it has amended major disaster declarations for all 50 states, the District of Columbia, five territories, and two tribes to provide 100% federal funding for the costs of eligible expenses under the Public Assistance program, including approved non-congregate sheltering costs. President Biden authorized the increase in the level of federal funds for eligible expenses performed from January 20, 2020, through September 30, 2021.

Updated on March 31, 2021

NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel spoke with the White House and FEMA on February 3 to confirm their intention to implement President Biden’s executive order by directing FEMA not only to cover the full costs of moving individuals experiencing homelessness into hotels and motels, but also to apply full funding retroactively. For more details, see FEMA’s statement released today clarifying President Biden’s directive.

FEMA on January 29 announced a six month extension of its “Emergency Non-Congregate Sheltering during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency” (interim) policy through June 30.

Updated on February 08, 2021

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FEMA announced in an internal memo to FEMA Regional Administrators that it will approve reimbursement for non-congregate sheltering through its Public Assistance program for the “duration of the emergency.” This unprecedented decision will ensure state and local officials can continue offering these critical programs needed to prevent and respond to outbreaks among people experiencing homelessness and to ensure non-congregate shelter residents can transition to permanent housing solutions when the programs eventually end.

Updated on January 15, 2021.

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FEMA on September 1 released an interim policy to clarify eligible work under the Public Assistance program as part of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The interim policy, “COVID-19 Pandemic: Work Eligible for Public Assistance,” can be found here.

Updated on September 10, 2020

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FEMA announced on August 11 the approval of over $84 million in additional grants for repairs after Hurricane Maria. The funds will support105 projects related to the recovery and reconstruction of Puerto Rico.

Updated on August 19, 2020.

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In the face of recent weather disturbances, FEMA and Puerto Rico’s Central Office for Recovery, Reconstruction and Resilience approved over $16 million in additional grants for repairs after Hurricane Maria.
FEMA announced that federal disaster assistance has been made available to Florida and North Carolina to supplement the state’s response efforts in the areas impacted by Hurricane Isaias from July 31 and continuing.

Updated on August 11, 2020.

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FEMA announced on July 26 that federal disaster assistance has been made available to Texas to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by Hurricane Hanna. The agency had announced on July 25 that federal disaster assistance has been made available to Hawaii to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by Hurricane Douglas.

Updated on August 4, 2020.

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FEMA announced on June 10 that it has developed guidance to assist state, tribal, and territorial governments in planning mass care delivery.

FEMA Administrator Pete Gaynor spoke with The Weather Channel on June 3 about the active start to the hurricane season and discussed the agency’s actions in preparing for the hurricane season on top of COVID-19 response actions.

Updated on June 12, 2020.

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FEMA Administrator Peter Gaynor released a letter to emergency managers, announcing a new “All-Hazards Preparedness in a Pandemic Exercise Starter Kit” to help partners prepare for hurricane season and other hazards during the coronavirus pandemic.

FEMA announced on May 27 that it will extend the suspension of rent collection for Camp Fire survivors still in FEMA housing due to the disproportionate impacts of COVID-19 on these survivors.

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FEMA Administrator Pete Gaynor discussed how the agency is adjusting to hurricane preparedness measures amid the coronavirus pandemic. 

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FEMA announced approval of 30 states and the District of Columbia for its Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training program. Crisis Counseling, part of FEMA’s Individual Assistance programs, is a mental health assistance program that provides short-term interventions, intake, and referral mental health services for disaster survivors.

FEMA announced that it will conduct remote home inspections for disaster survivors to protect the health and safety of all Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic.

FEMA and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) are collecting and sharing best practices for responding to COVID-19. Read FEMA Coronavirus Emergency Management Best Practices and the HHS Novel Coronavirus Resources page.

FEMA Administrator Peter T. Gaynor called for state and local emergency managers to continue to focus on conserving scarce PPE resources, strengthen the supply chain, and fully utilize federal medical staff in a letter. Housing was not mentioned.

The Administration signed Major Disaster decla

rations for Wyoming, Alaska, Idaho, and Vermont to total 50 states and 3 territories under a Major Disaster Declaration for COVID-19., See the full list here.

FEMA released a new policy permitting Public Assistance Program funding to be used for the purchase and distribution of food. FEMA will be able to reimburse preparation, procurement, and distribution of food to high risk individuals staying in their homes.

FEMA suspended rent collection for survivors staying in FEMA temporary housing. FEMA often provides tem porary housing for disaster survivors whose homes were destroyed – when an individual is unable to return to their home, or find another within 18 months, they are required to pay rent. This new rule would negate that requirement until July 1.

North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper announced that the state has received approval from FEMA to provide housing alternatives, such as hotels, motels, and dormitories, for North Carolinians with unstable housing who may need to quarantine in response to or are at high-risk for severe illness from COVID-19.

FEMA laid out reimbursement guidelines for Emergency Medical Care and Non-Congregate Sheltering, elaborating on the existing rules allowing for both of these expenses to be covered by FEMA’s Public Assistance Category B program.

FEMA’s Public Assistance (PA) program – one category of which is operating nationally after President Trump’s National Declaration of an Emergency – will have simplified forms and application processes – allowing applicants (State, local, tribal, governments and eligible nonprofits) to apply directly through the PA website.

NLIHC has released a fact sheet on Public Assistance funding uses and eligibility. This sheet will be updated as new information is released.

FEMA also released additional explanations on the Public Assistance program for tribal governments.

A memo from DHS has authorized FEMA to fund 100% of the emergency assistance activities conducted by National Guard units under state control in California, New York, and Washington.

As FEMA takes the reigns of pandemic response, confusion and frustration are mounting both inside and outside the agency.

FEMA laid out reimbursement guidelines for National Guard activities in areas with Major Disaster Declarations. FEMA will fully reimburse states for eligible National Guard deployments.

FEMA extended its grace period for Flood Insurance renewal premiums. The new grace period will be extended until June 15.

In a letter to Congress, OMB requested $400 million dollars for HUD, specifically for Homeless Assistance Grants.

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HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge on March 25 announced $5 million in Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grant (NHHBG) funding under the American Rescue Plan to support the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands in its response to the COVID-19 pandemic (see Memo, 3/29). Secretary Fudge also announced $450 million in Indian Housing Block Grants to Indian tribes across the country to respond to COVID-19.

Listen to and read HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge’s remarks at the White House press briefing on March 18 on the American Rescue Plan Act and housing.

Updated on March 31, 2021

HUD on February 16 announced extensions of the Federal Housing Administration’s (FHA) foreclosure and eviction moratoriums, as well as an extension of the initial start date of a COVID-19 forbearance. The Office of Public and Indian Housing is planning to announce similar relief for homeowners assisted under the Section 184 Indian Home Loan Guarantee Program and the Section 184A Native Hawaiian Housing Loan Guarantee Program.

Updated on February 22, 2021

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HUD announced on January 29 it has awarded $2.5 billion to renew support to thousands of homeless assistance programs across the nation.  HUD’s Continuum of Care (CoC) grants will provide critically needed support to 6,597 community-based housing and service providers. Due to the pandemic, the process was significantly streamlined.

HUD issued a message on COVID-19 Vaccination (Updated January 29) following the Biden Administration’s release of the National Strategy for the COVID-19 Response and Pandemic Preparedness. The National Strategy identifies homeless shelters as an example of a congregate setting that could facilitate the spread of infection, also emphasizing that “[b]ecause many people who are homeless are older adults or have underlying medical conditions, they may also be at increased risk for severe illness.” The strategy affirms that the U.S. will “work to ensure that the vaccine is distributed quickly, effectively, and equitably, with a focus on making sure that high-risk and hard-to-reach communities are not left behind.”

Updated on February 08, 2021

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HUD released a statement on the swift action it has taken in the first week of the Biden administration to address the immediate housing needs during the COVID-19 pandemic while laying the groundwork to address the nation’s larger, systemic housing challenges.

The Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs on January 28 held the confirmation hearing for HUD Secretary-designate Marcia Fudge. “It bears mentioning, particularly in this moment of crisis, that HUD – perhaps more than any other department – exists to serve the most vulnerable people in America,” said Representative Fudge (D-OH). Read NLIHC’s statement on Representative Fudge’s nomination.

Acting HUD Secretary Matthew Ammon on January 21 announced that HUD has extended the Federal Housing Administration eviction and foreclosure moratorium until March 31 and extended the Public and Indian Housing eviction and foreclosure moratorium until March 31. The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) announced on January 26 that it will execute the Biden administration’s request to extend the deadline for borrowers with FHA-insured mortgages through March 31, 2021.

Updated on February 01, 2021

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In response to President Joe Biden’s request that HUD and other federal agencies extend protections for renters and homeowners, HUD extended its foreclosure and eviction moratorium for single-family mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) through March 31, 2021.

Updated on January 25, 2021

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The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) on December 21 announced it is extending the foreclosure and eviction moratorium for single family FHA-insured mortgages for an additional two months, through February 28, 2021.

Updated on January 15, 2021

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HUD announced the launch of the new Community Development Block Grant CARES Act (CDBG-CV) website on the HUD Exchange.

Updated on October 14, 2020

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The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) on August 27 extended its foreclosure and eviction moratorium through December 31, 2020 for homeowners with FHA-insured single family mortgages covered under the CARES Act. While this action does provide foreclosure relief to some homeowners, it does not protect a single renter from eviction.

Updated on September 2, 2020.

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HUD announced on August 19 that it provided guidance and additional flexibility to states and localities using coronavirus relief funds. The Federal Register notice (FR-6226-N-01) that was published on August 17 grants extensions and clarifies submission deadlines for CDBG-DR grantees.

Updated on August 25, 2020.

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HUD announced on August 10 that it awarded $472 million in CARES Act funding to public housing authorities to keep residents housed amid the pandemic.

Updated on August 19, 2020.

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The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) announced on July 8 additional home retention measures for homeowners who are financially impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded $15 million to Native American Tribes on July 2 to support coronavirus recovery efforts. 

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced on July 8 the “Eviction Prevention and Stability Toolkit.”

Updated on July 13, 2020.

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The Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded $15 million to Native American Tribes on July 2 to support coronavirus recovery efforts.

Updated on July 7, 2020.

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The Federal Housing Administration announced on June 17 a two-month extension of its foreclosure and eviction moratorium through August 31, 2020, for homeowners with FHA-insured Single Family mortgages. 

HUD awarded $40 million in housing counseling grants to help over one million individuals and families access HUD-approved housing counseling.

Updated on June 22, 2020.

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The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced on June 9 the second allocation of Emergency Solutions Grants - Coronavirus (ESG-CV) funding totaling $2.96 billion.

The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) announced on June 4, a new, temporary policy that provides guidance for lenders to obtain FHA insurance endorsement on mortgages where the borrower has requested or obtained a COVID-19 forbearance.

Updated on June 12, 2020.

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HUD announced on May 18 nearly $77 million in a fourth wave of CARES Act funding to assist people with disabilities, supporting up to 8,300 additional vouchers. Provided through HUD's Section 811 Mainstream Housing Choice Voucher Program, this wave of relief funds will provide affordable housing to non-elderly people living with disabilities.

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The Federal Housing Administration announced on May 14 an extension of its foreclosure and eviction moratorium through June 30, 2020, for homeowners with FHA-insured Single Family mortgages. The FHA also announced an extension of work flexibilities for lenders and appraisers.

HUD announced on May 4 that the department has allocated $100,000 for HUD’s Foster Youth to Independence Initiative, noting that the pandemic has underscored the importance of having a home. 
 
HUD announced on May 5 the allocation of $380 million in supplemental administrative fee funding to Public Housing Authorities to fight COVID-19. Funds can be used for sanitation, transportation to health units and testing, food, childcare, and medical supplies.

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Secretary Ben Carson announced on May 1 that HUD will allocate $685 million in CARES Act funding to keep low-income residents of public housing safe during the pandemic. The funds will be allocated through the Public Housing Operating Fund and can be used for personal protective equipment, childcare costs, travel costs, and additional actions.

HUD’s Office of Multifamily Housing Programs posted a two-page explanation of the CARES Act eviction moratorium designed for tenants who have HUD-funded rental assistance and/or live in an FHA-insured property. Learn more about the paper in NLIHC’s Memo article (4/27).

Both HUD Secretary Ben Carson, Federal Housing Commissioner and Assistance Secretary of HUD Brian D. Montgomery, and Vice President Mike Pence participated in a phone call with mortgage and business leaders. The three reiterated existing programs assisting borrowers as well as prohibiting eviction as a prerequisite for mortgage forbearance.

HUD Secretary Ben Carson sat down with the Daily Caller to talk about the federal government’s COVID-19 response and new housing initiatives. Secretary took the opportunity to reference extended assistance for non-bank mortgage lenders, and his plan to force individuals experiencing homelessness into “structures” built on government-owned land in order to “take care of their mental health issues and their addiction issues and set them on a pathway towards self-sufficiency”.

HUD awarded $1.5 million in Partnership and Special Enforcement Effort funds to HUD Fair Housing Assistance Program (FHAP) agencies. The funds, provided through the CARE Act, will support COVID-19 education activities.
 
HUD’s Office of Multifamily Housing Programs made a fourth update to its "Questions and Answers for Office of Multifamily Housing Stakeholders: Coronavirus” on April 16.

President Trump announced a suspension in foreclosures and evictions for Federal Housing Administration-insured mortgages for single family properties for the next 60 days.

HUD released a set of statutory and regulatory waivers for the Public Housing, Housing Choice Voucher, Indian Housing Block Grant Program, Public Housing Assessment System and Section Eight Management Assessment Program. The rule allows PHA’s and Tribal Designated Housing Agencies to waive certain HUD requirements in the interest of slowing the spread of COVID-19.

HUD has also implemented a series of waivers for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program allowing for greater flexibility in how those funds are administered and able to be used. The guidance details the process and use of the first $2 billion allocation of CDBG funding approved by the CARES Act.

HUD’s Office of Special Needs Assistance Programs (SNAPS) invites homeless assistance providers and their partners to participate in their COVID-19 Office Hours session This session will focusing on the recently released Mega-Waiver and the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Experts from HUD and other federal partners and organizations will be available to answer questions on these topics. Event information available here. 

HUD announced that DHS will be recognizing residential and shelter workers as essential. Exempting them from stay at home orders that have begun to spread across the country.

HUD announced a series of waivers for CoC, ESG, and HOPWA Program regulations designed to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and mitigate economic impact of the pandemic.

HUD announced that it would be quickly releasing $200 million in Indian Housing Block Grants to American Indian Tribes and Tribally Designated Housing Entities across the country to respond to COVID-19. The money was approved in the CARES Act.

HUD’s Office of Multifamily Housing has released a recording with updated guidance on its COVID-19 response. The recording provides information on CARES Act funding for assisted housing, eviction moratorium, and visitors; CARES Act Forbearance; Rental Assistance Demonstration guidance; as well as other materials and information.

The Federal Housing Finance Administration (FHFA) announced on March 4 that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will continue to offer COVID-19 forbearance to qualifying multifamily property owners through June 30, 2021, subject to the continued tenant protections FHFA has imposed during the pandemic. 

Updated on March 08, 2021

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Treasury re-published in final form in the Federal Register on January 15 the guidance it previously posted on its website regarding the Coronavirus Relief Fund.

Updated on January 25, 2021

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FHFA announced on December 23 that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will continue to offer COVID-19 forbearance to qualifying multifamily property owners through March 31, 2021.

Updated on January 15, 2021.

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FHFA on December 2 announced that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will extend moratoriums on single-family foreclosures and real estate owned evictions until at least January 31, 2021.

Updated on December 9, 2020

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FHFA announced on November 12 that the current temporary policy allowing for the purchase of certain single-family mortgages in forbearance that meet specific eligibility criteria as set by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac has been extended through December 31, 2020.

Updated on November 17, 2020.

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The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) on August 27 announced that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will extend the moratorium on single-family foreclosures and real estate owned evictions until at least December 31, 2020. NLIHC notes that this action stops evictions for only a very small share of renters.

FHFA announced on August 26 that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will extend buying loans in forbearance and COVID-related loan processing flexibilities until September 30. The flexibilities were set to expire on August 31

Updated on September 2, 2020.

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FHFA announced on August 6 that multifamily property owners with mortgages backed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac who enter into a new or modified forbearance agreement must inform tenants in writing about tenant protections during the property owner’s forbearance and repayment periods. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are also improving their online multifamily property loan look-up tools. 
FHFA approved an extension of a temporary policy that allows for the purchase of certain single-family mortgages in forbearance that meet specific eligibility criteria set by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The policy is extended for loans originated through August 31, 2020.

Updated on August 11, 2020.

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The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) announced on July 9 that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will extend several loan origination flexibilities until August 31, 2020.

Updated on July 13, 2020.

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The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) announced on June 29 that tenant protections apply to properties with Enterprise-backed loans that are in forbearance.

Updated on July 7, 2020.

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The FHFA announced on June 17 that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will extend their single-family moratorium on foreclosures and evictions until at least August 31, 2020.

The FHFA announced on June 16 that translated COVID-19 resources are now available in six languages. COVID-19 Servicing Scripts and the Mortgage Assistance Application are available in English, Spanish, traditional Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, or Tagalog. 

Updated on June 22, 2020.

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FHFA is extending several loan origination flexibilities currently offered by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac designed to help borrowers during the COVID-19 national emergency.

Updated on June 12, 2020.

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FHFA announced on May 19 that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have issued temporary guidance concerning the eligibility of borrowers who are in forbearance, or have recently ended their forbearance, seeking to refinance or buy a new home. FHFA also extended the Enterprises’ ability to buy loans in forbearance.

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FHFA announced on May 14 that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are extending their moratorium on foreclosures and evictions until at least June 30, 2020. The foreclosure moratorium applies to single-family, Enterprise-backed mortgages only.

FHFA announced on May 13 that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are offering payment deferral as a new repayment option for homeowners in COVID-19 forbearance plans.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), FHFA, and HUD launched on May 12 a joint mortgage and housing assistance website for Americans impacted by COVID-19. The website consolidates the CARES Act mortgage relief, renters’ protections, and resources for additional help.

FHFA announced on May 5, 2020 that it has extended several loan origination flexibilities currently offered by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac through June 30.

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FHFA announced on May 4 that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have developed online multifamily property lookup tools to help renters find out if they are protected from evictions during the pandemic. 

• Freddie Mac’s Multifamily Loan Lookup Tool
• Fannie Mae’s Multifamily Loan Lookup Tool

FHFA released a statement reiterating that borrowers in forbearance with a Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac-backed mortgage are not required to repay the missed payments in a lump sum at the end of the forbearance plan.

The FHFA and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced a joint program to protect borrowers during the COVID-19 crisis. The program will allow both FHFA and CFPB to share complaints, as well as information on forbearances, modifications, and other loss initiatives taken by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

FHFA announced that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will be offering multifamily property owners mortgage forbearance on the condition that they suspend all evictions for renters unable to pay rent due to the impact of coronavirus.

FHFA also will be providing flexible alternatives to current requirements regarding the appraisal and employment verification of homes being bought, sold, and refinanced through Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

FHFA and Freddie Mac released additional details on a plan to offer multifamily property owners mortgage forbearance on the condition that they suspend all evictions for renters unable to pay rent due to the impact of coronavirus.

Freddie Mac has released a new tool for Multifamily Landlords and their Renters. It provides information and links about the recently announced relief program affecting more than 27,000 multifamily apartment properties and the more than 4 million renters who reside at those properties.

The USDA announced the Biden-Harris Administration extended the eviction moratorium to affected multifamily housing residents through June 30, 2021, extending relief to the hundreds-of-thousands of Americans who rely on USDA-supported multifamily housing communities.

Updated on March 31, 2021

The USDA on February 16 announced an extension of eviction and foreclosure moratoriums on USDA Single Family Housing Direct and Guaranteed loans through June 30, 2021.

Updated on February 22, 2021

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In accordance with CDC guidance, the USDA announced an extension of eviction protections for the tens of thousands of individuals in USDA-supported multifamily housing communities.

Updated on February 08, 2021

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In one of his first acts in office, President Joe Biden requested federal agencies to extend eviction and foreclosure moratoriums. In response, the USDA announced an extension of eviction and foreclosure moratoriums on USDA Single Family Housing Direct and Guaranteed loans through March 31, 2021.

Updated on January 25, 2021

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USDA announced on June 23 extended foreclosure and eviction moratorium for all Single Family Housing Direct Loans through August 31, 2020.

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USDA announced on June 19 that it has extended the foreclosure and eviction moratorium for all Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program loans through August 31, 2020.

USDA announced on April 22 that emergency benefit increases have reached $2.0 billion per month for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) households across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. These emergency benefits prompted by COVID-19 represent a 40% increase in overall monthly SNAP benefits. Hawaii, the final state agency authorized to provide emergency allotments, was approved on April 17. 

The USDA announced the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) on April 17. The CFAP program will provide direct support to farmers, ranchers, and consumers.

The USDA announced that it would be suspending foreclosures and evictions for 60 days on USDA-financed homes across rural America.

The Department of Agriculture announced it would be suspending foreclosures on borrowers with USDA Single-Family Housing Direct (SFHD) loans and evictions of persons in SFHD secured properties for a period of 60 days.

USDA Rural Development launched a COVID-19 resource page to keep stakeholders, partners, and customers aware of new developments.

USDA Rural Development announced that it would be granting temporary exception to interior inspection appraisals and verbal verification of employment for its single-family housing guaranteed loan program.

USDA Rural Development announced that it would be implementing a number of measures to assist rural residents and their communities. This includes waiving late payments in multifamily housing, placing a moratorium on foreclosures of its Single-Family Housing Direct Loans, and more.

While large landlords have been critical of the federal eviction moratorium, arguing the ban is putting their finances in jeopardy, a CBS Money Watch review of the financial statements and loan records of the nation’s largest landlords indicates large property owners have predominantly been profitable during the pandemic. The argument that landlords need the eviction moratorium to end because of financial hardship is “very hard to make,” says NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel.

Common Dreams reports on the CBS analysis that revealed major property owners have largely seen profits, some of them massive, during the coronavirus pandemic. The article links to a Twitter thread from NLIHC’s Diane Yentel on the extension of the CDC eviction moratorium.

NPR reports the CDC extended the federal eviction moratorium through June, but it did not address the moratorium’s shortcomings. "It's disappointing that the administration didn't act on the clear evidence and need to also strengthen the order to address the flaws that undermine its public health purpose," says NLIHC’s Diane Yentel. "That will result in some continued harmful evictions during the pandemic."

The Associated Press reports on the extension of the federal eviction moratorium through June, highlighting housing advocates’ disappointment that the Biden administration merely extended the ban without addressing its shortcomings. “The CDC simply extended President Trump’s original order, leaving the loopholes and flaws in place, a disappointing decision that will result in more harmful evictions during the pandemic,” said Diane Yentel, president and CEO of NLIHC.

Politico reports the CDC extended the federal eviction moratorium without making substantive changes to the order, despite housing advocates urging the Biden administration to strengthen and enforce the ban. “While the Biden administration is well aware of the shortcomings in the moratorium order that allow some evictions to proceed during the pandemic, the CDC director did not correct them,” said NLIHC’s Diane Yentel. The heads of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Federal Trade Commission issued a joint statement announcing they will monitor and investigate eviction processes to ensure they are complying with the law, pointing to reports that major multistate landlords are violating the moratorium.

CNN reports the CDC extended the federal eviction moratorium through June, but it did not improve and strengthen the moratorium, as housing advocates have urged the Biden administration to do.

The Hill reported on efforts by Democratic lawmakers and housing advocates to urge the Biden administration to extend the federal eviction moratorium. “The historic levels of emergency rental assistance underscore how important it is for the Biden administration to extend, strengthen, and enforce the moratorium,” said NLIHC’s Diane Yentel. “Without this protection, renters will be at risk of losing their homes at the very same time that billions of dollars are on the way to help stabilize them.”

CNBC reports on NLIHC’s national letter, signed by more than 2,200 organizations, urging President Biden to extend the federal eviction moratorium beyond its March 31 expiration and to improve and enforce its protections. “Increased evictions lead to increased spread of, and potentially deaths from, COVID-19,” said NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel.

The Associated Press examines how the American Rescue Plan Act could permanently alter the United States’ social safety net. Housing advocates, including NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel, say the relief packages should stave off rental debts for now, but economic hardships and the need for additional housing assistance will extend past the end of the pandemic.

NPR reports the CDC has sent a proposal to extend the federal eviction moratorium to the Office of Management and Budget for regulatory review. Housing advocates have warned that allowing the moratorium to lapse before emergency rental assistance funds reach households would result in a tsunami of evictions.

The American Prospect reports on the CDC’s proposed extension of the eviction moratorium, noting the urgent need for the Biden administration to extend and improve the moratorium.

Prioritizing vaccines for people experiencing homelessness is vital to an equitable and effective public health response, write Margot Kushel, Barbara DiPietro, and Bobby Watts. Bringing COVID-19 vaccines to people experiencing homelessness requires a tailored approach.

The American Independent explores how the American Rescue Plan will help address the COVID-19 eviction crisis.

A Government Accounting Office (GAO) report finds federal, state, and local eviction moratoriums have reduced evictions during the pandemic, but some eligible renters have not been protected by the federal eviction moratorium due to a lack of awareness of the moratorium or its requirements. The report recommends that the CDC, in coordination with other relevant federal entities, develop and implement a communication and outreach plan designed to ensure eligible renters and property owners are aware of and invoke the eviction moratorium. The report cites NLIHC’s rental assistance database and research analysis.

MarketWatch discusses the Government Accounting Office (GAO) report, which found that a lack of awareness and enforcement of the CDC eviction moratorium could be contributing to continued evictions despite the ban. Housing advocates continue to urge the Biden administration to extend the moratorium to provide time for federal rental assistance to be distributed and to strengthen and enforce the moratorium. “If the federal eviction moratorium were allowed to expire, many of those tenants would be evicted before the money reaches them,” said NLIHC’s Diane Yentel.

The GAO Blog discusses the new Government Accounting Office (GAO) report on eviction moratoriums and what might happen when the federal eviction moratorium ends on March 31. The article provides a link to NLIHC’s emergency rental assistance database.

Shelterforce explores state and local efforts to expand or revive non-congregate sheltering programs and purchase hotels as long-term housing solutions for people experiencing homelessness. NLIHC’s Diane Yentel describes FEMA’s decision to provide full reimbursement for non-congregate sheltering costs as a “game changer” and discusses the need for states and cities to plan exit strategies for people in hotels and motels. “The next step can’t be to send people back to the sidewalk they were sleeping on before the pandemic. That’s immoral and unacceptable,” said Diane Yentel.

CNBC reports that a federal judge in Ohio has ruled that the CDC exceeded its authority when it enacted the federal eviction moratorium. “This order could immediately result in a flood of evictions of struggling renters resulting in increased spread of, and potentially deaths from, COVID-19,” said NLIHC’s Diane Yentel.

The Department of Justice released a statement stating that the decision in Skyworks v. CDC, which concluded that the federal eviction moratorium exceeds CDC’s statutory authority, only applies to the particular plaintiffs in that case.

“Now that Congress has appropriated $46 billion to address rent arrears, these lawsuits to overturn the moratorium are frivolous,” said NLIHC’s Diane Yentel. “These landlords will be made whole, but it will take time to get the money into their hands. Their eagerness to overturn the moratorium, despite unprecedented resources to pay rent arrears, only underscores the need to be sure the moratorium is extended at least until resources are expended. For some of these landlords, it appears it was never really about the money.”

MSNBC’s Joy Reid began her interview with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Marcia Fudge on March 18 by citing statistics from NLIHC. When asked what HUD can do about the housing crisis, Secretary Fudge responded, “as a result of the American Rescue Plan, HUD can do an awful lot.”

NPR’s Morning Edition reports that landlords struggling to stay afloat see a lifeline in federal rent relief funds. A Houston landlord is going door to door offering to help residents apply for the federal emergency rental assistance dollars that are starting to flow to landlords and tenants.

People reports on the COVID-19 housing and eviction crisis, highlighting how millions of renters are behind on their rent payments and at risk of eviction when the federal eviction moratorium ends on March 31. The article discusses our country’s pre-existing affordable housing crisis, noting that people of color are disproportionately impacted by housing instability and eviction.

The New Republic reports that mothers, particularly women of color, experience evictions at higher rates. The author discusses immediate and long-term solutions to addressing our country’s affordable housing crisis.

Updated on March 31, 2021

The Washington Post reports that the recent ruling on the CDC eviction moratorium may create confusion and uncertainty for renters about their rights and protections under the order. “The protections still stand now, but I do think there will be landlords now taking cases to local housing courts and filing evictions by citing this case,” said NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel. 

CNBC reports on the eviction moratorium ruling, highlighting housing advocates' concerns that the ruling could trigger a flood of eviction filings. “All eyes now are on the Biden administration to see how and if they plan to vigorously defend the CDC eviction moratorium in the courts,” said NLIHC’s Diane Yentel. 

MarketWatch reports on the federal judge’s ruling on the CDC moratorium, citing NLIHC’s Diane Yentel’s concerns that landlords may cite this ruling as they continue to pursue evictions despite the protections under the moratorium. 

Reuters discusses the recent ruling on the CDC eviction moratorium, noting that several other federal courts across the country have rejected similar legal challenges seeking to block the federal eviction moratorium. 

CNBC spoke with housing experts, including NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel, about how renters can apply for federal rent relief dollars. While federal rental assistance funds could help millions of renters remain housed, advocates worry that some people will run into challenges trying to access the funds. 

CNBC discusses how the American Rescue Plan Act could help millions of households at risk for eviction. “The American Rescue Plan Act provides urgently needed COVID-19 relief resources for America’s lowest-income renters and people experiencing homelessness,” said NLIHC’s Diane Yentel. “If enacted, these investments will help prevent millions of low-income people from losing their homes during the pandemic.” 

The latest COVID relief package making its way through Congress does not include an extension of the federal eviction moratorium set to expire this month because the budget reconciliation process does not allow for it. CNBC reports that advocates continue to urge President Biden to extend the federal eviction moratorium to prevent a flood of evictions, particularly since federal rental assistance and direct payments will take time to reach people. “An eviction moratorium buys that time,” said NLIHC’s Diane Yentel. 

Marketplace reports that while Congress approved $25 billion in rental assistance more than two months ago, very little has gotten to renters and landlords. According to NLIHC’s Diane Yentel, as of March 1, 15 states and about two dozen local governments have started accepting applications. This number, however, is expected to pick up significantly in the coming weeks and months. According to several different estimates, millions of Americans are behind on their rent by an average of $5,000 or $6,000. 

A new documentary for Time follows two single mothers in New Orleans whose uncertain housing situations reflect what is happening across the country. This dire reality is particularly impacting women of color. For the two women profiled in this documentary, the pandemic and economic fallout have compounded existing anxieties that have lingered 15 years after being displaced by Hurricane Katrina. 

Next City outlines why responses to the COVID-19 housing crisis can and should address the dangerous conditions in which many tenants live. Substandard housing is a public health hazard, one which has become more dangerous in the pandemic. 

Emily Benfer, co-creator of the COVID-19 Housing Policy Scorecard with the Eviction Lab at Princeton University, explains the American’s eviction crisis and discusses how the COVID-19 pandemic and economic fallout have only fueled the existing eviction catastrophe. In addition to bolstering the federal eviction moratorium and providing targeted rental assistance, the federal government must rectify the longstanding discriminatory housing policies that led to this crisis. 

Updated on March 08, 2021

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The Economist reports research demonstrating that eviction moratoriums in the U.S. have helped to slow the spread of COVID-19, likely saving thousands of lives. The researchers estimate that policies limiting evictions reduce COVID-19 infections by 3.8% and deaths by 11%.

NPR reports that the pandemic has exacerbated racial disparities in housing instability and eviction and could widen the gap for years to come. Black renters face higher rates of housing instability and eviction. During the pandemic, Black people have been more likely than white people to lose their jobs and three times more likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19.

Stateline examines the struggles tenants are facing amid a patchwork of state and local rent relief efforts. Some states, such as Michigan, have not accepted federal rent relief funds due to partisan standoffs, and other states have struggled with the logistics of distributing rental assistance, leaving tenants at risk for eviction.

CityLab discusses a new study by RAND Corporation demonstrating that falling behind on rent or being evicted takes a toll on the amount of sleep people get. While the study predates COVID-19, the pandemic has called attention to the connection between housing instability, poor sleep, and serious health problems that, in turn, make people more susceptible to COVID-19.

Time reports on the looming eviction crisis, examining the challenges facing renters and mom-and-pop landlords. Almost half of the nearly 49 million rental units in the U.S. are owned by small landlords. The article highlights how racial inequities in housing are visible in our current eviction crisis and discusses how President Biden’s housing platform includes universal housing vouchers.

Updated on March 01, 2021

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CityLab reports that Republican state lawmakers are slowing emergency rental assistance funds from Congress, forcing some cities and counties to pursue workarounds by seeking aid directly from the federal government. Federal rent relief has met resistance from Republican-led legislatures in Idaho and Michigan. These threats to stall or block rent relief distribution have real-world consequences for tenants, as states have a limited amount of time to spend the money from the Treasury Department before losing the aid.

NPR shares the story of a Florida family whose landlord moved forward with the eviction process, even though the family submitted the required CDC paperwork to their landlord. In some cases, landlords are pretending they have not received the CDC declaration and are moving forward with the eviction process, says Shamus Roller, executive director of the National Housing Law Project.

USA Today reports the pandemic is forcing more Americans to live in cars and RVs, and like every measure of homelessness and poverty, people of color are disproportionately represented among vehicle dwellers. This “hidden homeless crisis” is expected to worsen as the government safety net frays.

A recent report from Apartment List, an online rental housing platform, found that rent debt is concentrated among minority tenants. The report found that 53% of Black renters have unpaid housing bills, compared with 38% of Hispanic renters, 27% of Asian renters, and 21% of white renters.

The Appeal discusses the growing momentum in cities, states, and in Congress to ensure every tenant facing eviction has a guaranteed right to counsel. John Pollock of the National Coalition for a Civil Right to Counsel highlights that access to legal representation can make the difference between stability and catastrophe for families.

NPR’s Ari Shapiro spoke with Lee Camp, a St. Louis attorney who represents tenants, about how the COVID-19 recession has affected housing insecurity. “On the back end of this pandemic, we will see families saddled with debt like we have never seen. We will still likely be dealing with mass evictions, which will turn into homelessness into the streets,” said Camp.

The New York Times reports that some officials fear frigid weather is a greater risk for people experiencing homelessness than the coronavirus. Cities and communities are struggling with how to shelter people who are homeless without exposing them to COVID-19.

NBC News reports that mobile home residents are one of the hardest-hit groups facing eviction amid the pandemic. When mobile home residents find themselves facing eviction, they risk not only losing the lot they are renting but also their home equity.

Updated on February 22, 2021

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A USA Today analysis found that Treasury’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) will overwhelmingly benefit white Americans living in less populated states, even though most Americans affected by the pandemic and economic recession live in the most populated states. “A more precise formula would better target resources to communities with the greatest needs if it were based on the number of cost-burdened and low-income renters," said NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel.

CityLab reports on the growing number of eviction filings in the U.S. and the many renters who are falling through the cracks of federal, state, and local eviction protections. “Generally speaking, the CDC moratorium is doing what it was intended to do. But there are many shortcomings in the order and an alarming number of evictions despite the moratorium,” said NLIHC’s Diane Yentel. “We have been calling on Biden and CDC Director Walensky to not only extend the moratorium, but to strengthen and improve and enforce it.”

Vice examines the shortcomings of the federal eviction moratorium that have allowed landlords to continue evicting tenants, noting that NLIHC and over 2,000 organizations are calling on the Biden administration to extend, strengthen, and enforce the moratorium. NLIHC’s Diane Yentel notes that while the moratorium is generally doing what it was intended to do, there are an “alarming number of evictions” occurring despite the order.

Medical Xpress discusses new research that finds eviction and utility shut-off moratoriums reduce COVID-19 infection rates and COVID-related deaths. NLIHC’s Diane Yentel highlights the inextricable link between housing and health and the critical need for long-term investments in affordable housing.

The New York Times examines the pandemic’s toll on housing, noting that COVID-19 has exacerbated our country’s existing affordable housing crisis. Low-income tenants are doubling up with others, accruing debt, and falling behind on bills to remain housed. These financial scars will linger long after mass vaccinations.

An op-ed in the Hill urges Congress and the White House to include a $44 billion affordable housing conversion initiative in the next COVID relief bill. With a sharp infusion of federal funds, tens of thousands of hotels and other distressed commercial properties can be converted into permanent affordable housing.

Reuters reports that tenant unions and anti-eviction activist groups across the country have seen their memberships explode during the pandemic. The article discusses how a months-long campaign by KC Tenants culminated in the delay of 854 evictions in Jackson County in January.

A Marketplace-Edison Research Poll examining sleeplessness found that 35% of Americans surveyed were losing sleep over their financial situations, specifically pandemic-related issues such as missed rent or mortgage payments, layoffs, and income loss. Lower-income individuals consistently get less sleep than those with higher incomes. The pandemic is magnifying existing disparities, contributing to more sleeplessness, particularly in lower-income neighborhoods where people often live in overcrowded housing.

Updated on February 17, 2021

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Housing advocates are concerned that President Biden’s extension of the federal eviction moratorium does not address the moratorium’s significant shortcomings. In addition to strengthening and enforcing the moratorium, additional funding for rental assistance is urgently needed. “Eviction moratoriums postpone housing instability, but they don’t prevent evictions – because the rent is still due,” NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel told NBC News.

USA Today explains why millions of Americans may face eviction despite President Biden’s executive order extending the federal eviction moratorium through March 31. Because the moratorium’s protections are not automatic, marginalized renters – such as seniors, immigrants, and the lowest-income renters – are at greater risk for eviction. “They are often the ones that are most in need of the protections but the least aware of the actions they need to take to receive it,” says NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel.

Peter Hepburn of the Eviction Lab outlines how the formula that the Treasury Department used to allocate emergency rental assistance funds will lead to significant inequities. The formula, which was used to distribute money in the Coronavirus Relief Fund, does not make sense in the context of rental assistance.

An op-ed in the New York Times discusses how the lack of reliable, consistent data on eviction across the U.S. leaves the Biden administration and state and local governments with limited ways to track and assist communities most at risk of eviction and homelessness. The authors urge the government to create a federal eviction database, which the bipartisan “Eviction Crisis Act” would establish.

Jim Parrott and Mark Zandi published an op-ed in CNN Business discussing the country’s looming eviction crisis and how President Biden’s stimulus plan could protect millions of struggling renters. The authors urge policymakers to ensure states and localities can efficiently and effectively distribute the $25 billion in emergency rental assistance and pass President Biden’s proposed $35 billion for rental assistance.

The Los Angeles Times reports that millions of renters are facing a snowballing financial burden that threatens to deplete their savings, harm their credit, and force them from their homes. It could take renters, especially those with the lowest-incomes, years to recover. “We are setting up millions of people for long-term harm and a cycle of economic and housing instability,” said Emily Benfer, chair of the American Bar Association’s COVID-19 Task Force Committee on eviction.

An op-ed in Newsweek by John Pollock and Emily Benfer discusses how the federal eviction moratorium’s shortcomings, logistical challenges with distributing rent relief, and the inadequacy of $20 million to address tenant representation nationwide means a tsunami of evictions will continue to threaten the U.S. Local, state, and federal governments and the courts must take action to prevent the looming eviction crisis.

Updated on February 08, 2021

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CNBC reports on a new analysis from Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics, and Jim Parrot, a fellow at the Urban Institute, demonstrating that nearly 20% of renters in the U.S. are behind on their payments. The findings show that renters owe an astonishing $57.3 billion in back rent, with the average renter owing $5,600 in rent and being nearly four months behind. The article discusses the letter NLIHC and more than 2,000 national, state, and local organizations and elected officials sent to President Biden, calling on the administration to strengthen and enforce the federal eviction moratorium.

NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel discusses the Treasury Department’s FAQ on the $25 billion rental assistance program, noting that NLIHC is urging Secretary Janet Yellen to rescind the guidance. “It is unfortunately and unnecessarily restrictive. It is requiring localities to have burdensome documentation, including some that could do long-term harm to some tenants, like requiring eviction notices in hand before people can get those funds,” Diane said.

Sarah Saadian, NLIHC vice president of public policy, spoke to Business Insider on the importance of strengthening and enforcing the CDC eviction moratorium, the public health impacts of eviction, and the critical need to ensure emergency rental assistance and other resources are distributed equitably.

Wired explores the lasting impact of COVID-19 on homelessness in the U.S., noting that advocates are hopeful that pandemic-related efforts to address the health and housing needs of individuals experiencing homelessness will be expanded and improved.

Two lawyers who represent low-income tenants penned an op-ed for CNN outlining why the federal eviction moratorium should remain in effect long after the pandemic is over. The authors argue that state and local jurisdictions, which typically regulate when eviction is permissible, can and should prevent forced displacements.

CBS News discusses the $25 billion emergency rental assistance program established by Congress in December, highlighting who is eligible and how to apply for aid.

CNN Business examines the multiple economic disasters facing President Biden: evictions, unemployment, and hunger. The article mentions that despite the federal eviction moratorium, many landlords are using legal loopholes to evict tenants.

NextAdvisor reports on President Biden’s extension of the federal eviction moratorium through March 2021 and the steps renters must take to be protected.

The Washington Post examines international efforts to vaccinate people experiencing homelessness.

Updated on February 01, 2021

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President Joe Biden on January 20 signed an executive order instructing federal agencies to extend eviction and foreclosure moratoriums through March 31. “President Biden and the CDC Director must not only extend, but also strengthen and enforce the moratorium, and they must do so with all due haste,” NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel told HuffPost.

NPR reported on President Biden’s plans to extend the federal eviction moratorium through the end of March. “Without this action by President Joe Biden, millions of renters could have lost their homes during this surge in COVID-19,” said NLIHC’s Diane Yentel. However, she adds, the moratorium along is insufficient and needs to be strengthened and enforced.

The Washington Post reported that President Biden planned to sign an executive order extending the federal eviction moratorium. “Extending it is good and important, but on its own insufficient,” said NLIHC’s Diane Yentel. “The existing moratorium is flawed, and many tenants are being evicted in spite of the protections. It needs to be not only extended but strengthened and enforced.”

“The existing moratorium is flawed, and some landlords exploit loopholes to evict tenants despite the protections,” NLIHC’s Diane Yentel told CNBC. “No federal agency is enforcing the order’s penalties for unlawful evictions.” In addition to extending the moratorium, housing advocates are calling on the Biden administration to strengthen and enforce the moratorium. Advocates are also urging Congress to provide additional funding for emergency rental assistance.

CNN reports that President Biden called on several federal departments and agencies to extend their eviction and foreclosure moratoriums until at least the end of March. President Biden’s COVID-19 relief proposal would provide $35 billion in rent, utilities, and homelessness resources. The article cites NLIHC’s research note on the need for emergency rental assistance.

Bloomberg reported on President Biden’s plans to extend the federal eviction moratorium and ask the departments of Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, and Housing and Urban Development to consider extending foreclosure restrictions and forbearance relief.

NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel spoke to NBC News about why simply extending the CDC eviction moratorium is insufficient.

Next City discusses housing advocates’ expectations from the Biden administration. NLIHC Vice President of Public Policy Sarah Saadian says President-elect Biden’s “day one” priority should be extending the federal eviction moratorium through the duration of the pandemic and expanding it to automatically protect all renters.

CNet reports on the housing provisions and protections included in President-elect Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief proposal, linking to a Twitter thread on the proposal from NLIHC’s Diane Yentel. “All of these resources and protections are badly and urgently needed. And, we’ll still need more to ensure housing stability for low-income renters and to keep people experiencing homelessness,” tweeted Diane Yentel.

Vox reports on the homelessness crisis in the United States, noting that homelessness and the affordable housing crisis are policy choices. Rates of eviction and homelessness are expected to increase due to the pandemic, with 30 million renters at risk of eviction.

Updated on January 25, 2021

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The Associated Press reports that housing advocates across the country held rallies on January 13, calling on the incoming Biden administration to extend and strengthen the federal eviction moratorium. “The eviction moratorium has to be extended in order to continue to create protection for tenants while states and localities work to get emergency rental assistance out to tenants who need it most,” said NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel.

“We are urging President-elect Biden on his first day and hour in office, as one of a set of emergency actions that we expect him to take, to sign a new executive order and implement a new strengthened and enforced eviction moratorium for the duration of the pandemic,” said NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel on BBC World News.

NLIHC Vice President of Public Policy Sarah Saadian spoke to the Florida Phoenix about the COVID-19 housing crisis and solutions to address the affordable housing crisis. “President-elect Biden ran on a really strong housing platform that includes long-term solutions, too, so we know how to better address the next disaster that happens. We’ve learned there are really big gaps in our safety net systems,” said Sarah Saadian.

NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel spoke to ABC15 about the critical need for President-elect Biden to take immediate action to prevent tens of millions of renters from losing their homes. NLIHC will submit a national sign on letter to the Biden administration, urging them to extend, strengthen, and enforce the CDC eviction moratorium.

NLIHC’s Diane Yentel spoke with WFTV about the pre-pandemic affordable housing crisis in Florida and across the U.S. and the long-term solutions needed to address this crisis.

NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel spoke to ABC15 about the critical need for President-elect Biden to take immediate action to prevent tens of millions of renters from losing their homes. NLIHC will submit a national sign on letter to the Biden administration, urging them to extend, strengthen, and enforce the CDC eviction moratorium.

NLIHC’s Diane Yentel spoke to News Nation Now about the critical housing provisions in the COVID-19 relief bill and the need for more comprehensive solutions.

“Eviction moratoriums are an essential protection because they keep tens of millions of people housed who would otherwise be losing their homes in the middle of this pandemic,” NLIHC’s Diane Yentel told Yahoo Finance. Diane discussed the critical need for additional housing resources and protections.

NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel spoke on CBS News about the urgent need for Congress to extend the federal eviction moratorium and provide emergency rental assistance. Watch the full clip.

BBC World News interviewed NLIHC’s Diane Yentel about the pending tsunami of evictions and the urgent need for an extended eviction moratorium and emergency rental assistance.

NLIHC’s Diane Yentel spoke on NPR's Morning Edition about the tens of millions of renters in dire need of eviction protections and why the CDC eviction moratorium needs to be strengthened.

NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel spoke to Denver7 about the $25 billion in emergency rental assistance enacted in the COVID-19 relief package and NLIHC’s work to track and analyze state and local emergency rental assistance programs.

Millions of renters in the U.S. are facing eviction legal battles without legal aid. Fewer than ten cities and counties guarantee tenants the right to a lawyer in housing-related disputes. While the push for the right to counsel preceded the pandemic, it is particularly urgent in light of the looming eviction crisis.

Popular Science discusses how a new wave of evictions in 2021 could fuel a rise in COVID-19 cases. Without extending eviction protections beyond January, tens of millions of people will face eviction, further exacerbating the pandemic’s public health impacts.

Shelterforce discusses the looming eviction crisis and provides an overview of the bipartisan COVID-19 relief bill being debated in Congress. According to NLIHC Vice President of Public Policy Sarah Saadian, the $25 billion for emergency rental assistance is critically needed to keep families housed this winter.

The Appeal examines how landlords have continued to evict renters, despite a patchwork of local and federal protections. “One of the most significant flaws is that the moratorium is not automatic, renters need to know it exists, know they are eligible, and know what steps they need to take in order to get the protection,” said NLIHC’s Diane Yentel.

CNN calls attention to research indicating that communities of color are disproportionately impacted by the eviction crisis. According to NLIHC, communities of color represent 80% of people facing eviction. Business Insider also reports that people of color are most at risk of losing their home when the federal eviction moratorium ends.

The Daily podcast shares the story of a single mother of two from Georgia struggling to remain in her home amid the pandemic. Matthew Desmond, Pulitzer Prize-winning author and principal investigator of the Eviction Lab, joins the podcast to discuss the eviction crisis.

NBC News reports that vital housing assistance, such as rapid rehousing, may be unavailable to families that do not meet the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) definition of homeless, including those who have had to move in with other households during the pandemic.

Politico examines how the COVID-19 pandemic is exacerbating long-existing racial disparities in housing, highlighting that Black and Latino tenants will be disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 eviction crisis. “Structural racism leaves people of color disproportionately low-income, rent-burdened, or homeless. These inequities compound the harm done by COVID-19,” said NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel.

The New York Times reports that jurisdictions across the U.S. are scrambling to distribute critically needed federal CARES Act funds to struggling tenants before the December 30 deadline. “The idea of reverting that money back to the Treasury just as the eviction moratoriums expire and renters are on the brink is absurd and cruel,” said NLIHC’s Diane Yentel.

NBC News reports that landlords have continued to evict tenants despite the CDC eviction moratorium. The article highlights advocates’ concerns about a wave of evictions when the federal eviction moratorium expires on December 31. “If policymakers don’t intervene, we are facing the very real possibility of tens of millions of people losing their homes this winter,” said NLIHC’s Diane Yentel.

CNBC discusses the essential housing provisions included in the bipartisan coronavirus relief bill, including the $25 billion for emergency rental assistance and one-month extension of the CDC eviction moratorium. The article cites NLIHC’s Diane Yentel’s statement on the compromise relief bill.

U.S. News & World Report examines how allowing the federal eviction moratorium to expire at the end of the month will further fuel the raging pandemic. NLIHC’s Diane Yentel outlines the urgent need to extend the moratorium and provide emergency rental assistance.

USA Today reports that state and local programs to house people experiencing homelessness in non-congregate shelters, such as hotels and motels, across the U.S. are abruptly ending, causing concern that hotel residents will be forced back into congregate shelters, encampments, or the streets.

USA Today explains why millions of people in America could face eviction after the holidays and outlines how people can help struggling renters and organizations that serve people experiencing homelessness.

The New York Times reports that residents of weekly rentals are concerned about being forced from their homes if they are unable to pay rent. It is unclear if the CDC eviction moratorium protects tenants of weekly rental lodgings, which has resulted in some owners pushing out renters who cannot pay rent.

According to new data released by researchers at the University of Chicago and the University of Notre Dame, nearly 8 million Americans have fallen into poverty over the past five months. Since June, poverty has risen the most for Black Americans and those with high school degrees or less.

States are grappling with what steps to take next as they brace for the impending eviction crisis. Eviction moratoriums instituted by 44 states beginning in March have mostly expired, but some states are considering extending eviction bans. Advocates are urging Congress and state officials to extend moratoriums and fund rental assistance programs.

An op-ed in USA Today outlines the urgent need for Congress to enact a COVID-19 relief package that includes accessible emergency rental assistance and a uniform, enforceable eviction moratorium.

Updated January 15, 2021.

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The Washington Post reports on the federal stimulus benefits that will expire this month, noting that millions of Americans will lose unemployment benefits, access to paid sick leave, and protections against evictions. “The only thing that remains between the renter and being kicked out on the street is expiring on December 31,” said NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel.

Common Dreams reports Moody’s Analytics estimates that renters will owe up to $70 billion in back rent when the federal eviction moratorium expires at the end of December. The article highlights NLIHC’s Diane Yentel’s calls for Congress to provide rent relief and extend the federal eviction moratorium.

CNBC examines why tens of thousands of evictions have occurred despite the federal eviction moratorium. “The CDC or Department of Justice isn’t enforcing the moratorium the way they should be. It allows landlords to move forward wrongfully, without consequence,” said NLIHC Vice President of Public Policy Sarah Saadian.

The Center for Public Integrity discusses the impending eviction crisis, noting that millions of renters are on the brink of eviction and financial ruin. The article highlights the millions of dollars renters owe in back rent. “This is debt that renters will never be able to afford to pay off,” said NLIHC’s Sarah Saadian.

ABC News reports on the looming eviction crisis, highlighting NLIHC research estimating that 6.7 million renter households are unable to pay their rent and will be at risk of eviction. An ABC News analysis found that during the pandemic, the rate of evictions in majority Black and Latino neighborhoods has been twice that of mostly white neighborhoods.

The Washington Post reports on economists’ warnings that many unemployed families will be unable to pay rent and utilities without additional stimulus aid from Congress. According to Moody’s Analytics, renters will owe up to $70 billion in back rent when the federal eviction moratorium expires on December 31.

NBC News reports on the challenges facing homeless shelters this winter amid the ongoing pandemic. Advocates are concerned that the coming winter and expiration of the CDC eviction moratorium will further strain our country’s overstretched shelter system.

Ted Koppel of CBS News spoke with Matthew Desmond, Pulitzer Prize-winning author and principal investigator of the Eviction Lab, about COVID-19 and the impending eviction crisis. “Ten million people have lost their jobs, rents have continued, and we're seeing millions of people at the threat of eviction, during a time when your home is your best medicine,” said Matthew Desmond.

Pew Charitable Trusts Stateline examines statewide efforts to purchase hotels to house people experiencing homelessness, including California’s Project Homekey and Oregon’s Project Turnkey.

Emily Benfer, Gregg Gonsalves, and Danya Keene – three housing and health experts – contributed an article to the Appeal, explaining how the impending wave of evictions will significantly worsen America’s COVID-19 crisis. The authors urge the CDC to extend its eviction moratorium.

Pew Charitable Trusts examines how courts across the nation have taken varied approaches to eviction cases amid the pandemic and various federal, state, and local eviction moratoriums. The authors encourage policymakers and court leaders to study the impact of emergency eviction orders to identify the most effective strategies to maintain the transparency, equity, and efficiency of the court process.

The Los Angeles Times’ editorial board urges Congress and the White House to take immediate action to prevent a catastrophic wave of evictions when the federal moratorium expires at the end of the year.

Updated on December 19, 2020

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The Associated Press reports that despite the federal eviction moratorium, renters continue to be evicted amid the pandemic. “By the time President-elect Biden takes office on January 20, we may be in the midst of a historic eviction crisis in our country if no action is taken between now and then,” says NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel.

The Nation reports that despite the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) eviction moratorium, thousands of tenants across the country are losing their homes during the pandemic. While the moratorium is keeping many people in their homes who would otherwise be evicted, far too many tenants are falling through the cracks. NLIHC’s Diane Yentel discusses the moratorium’s various shortcomings that undermine its public health impact.

“For nine months, this tsunami on the horizon has been completely predictable and entirely preventable; we’ve known the solution to this for months, [the problem] is the lack of political will,” NLIHC’s Diane Yentel told Vox. “We’ve been saying for nine months now that it’s going to take at least $100 billion in rental assistance.”

CBS News discusses the joint report from NLIHC and the University of Arizona estimating that 6.7 million households, or 19 million people, could be evicted in the coming months. “What we really need is rental assistance,” says NLIHC Vice President of Research Andrew Aurand. “The underlying problem is renters struggling to pay their rent because we’re in an economic crisis, and the moratorium doesn’t address that.”

Nation of Change discusses new research indicating that lifting statewide eviction moratoriums was associated with increased COVID-19 incidence and mortality rates. The article mentions NLIHC’s concerns about renters falling off a financial cliff when the moratorium expires and our continued calls for emergency rental assistance.

CNBC reports on a new research study on the impact of eviction moratoriums and COVID-19 incidence and mortality rates. The study found that the expiration of state eviction moratoriums has led to hundreds of thousands of additional coronavirus cases, raising significant concerns about what will happen when the national eviction moratorium expires at the end of the year.

Popular Information discusses the impending eviction cliff and new research analyzing the impact of lifting eviction moratoriums on COVID-19 cases and mortality.

Dr. Kathryn Leifheit of UCLA’s Fielding School of Public Health spoke with NPR’s All Things Considered about a new research study finding that lifting state eviction moratoriums was associated with increased COVID-19 incidence and mortality. 

According to the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, there has been a 70% increase in people using credit cards to pay their rent this year. 

Emily Benfer, Wake Forest law professor and chair of the American Bar Association’s COVID-19 Task Force Committee on Eviction, spoke to C-SPAN’s Washington Journal about the COVID-19 housing crisis and impending surge of evictions.

The Associated Press reports on the pandemic-related resources and protections that are expiring at the end of the year. The article discusses the expiration of the CDC federal eviction moratorium and experts’ warnings of a wave of eviction.

State and national organizations, including the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio, filed documents last week in the U.S. District Court in Akron in support of the CDC eviction moratorium. Landlords from across northern Ohio filed a lawsuit in October to halt the federal eviction moratorium.

Technology Review discusses how virtual eviction hearings are significantly exacerbating an already problematic situation. While remote proceedings are meant to limit the spread of COVID-19 in courtrooms, legal aid organizations have observed troubling practices in virtual hearings, including a lack of consistency and accessibility issues.

Al Día reports that mass evictions have continued to occur despite the CDC eviction moratorium, adding to the COVID-19 death toll. Researchers of a new study on the impact of lifting state eviction moratoriums recommend further investigating the association between lifting moratoriums and racial disparities in COVID-19 cases and deaths.

WABE discusses the devastating, long-lasting consequences of evictions for tenants.

Weather.com highlights how frigid temperatures and the ongoing pandemic are impacting homeless shelters across the country.

An op-ed in the Washington Post discusses why Congress must act quickly to provide rental relief and address the nation’s existing affordable housing crisis. Without federal intervention, we will see a wave of evictions and foreclosures that will do “untold damage” to millions of families and the broader economy. 

Bloomberg reports that millions of Americans expect to lose their homes as the coronavirus rages and the CDC eviction moratorium is set to expire at the end of the year. 

Amid the pandemic’s school closures, decreasing capacity at shelters, and higher family mobility, more than 423,000 students experiencing homelessness dropped off schools’ radar during the pandemic. The report, prepared by SchoolHouse Connection and Poverty Solutions at the University of Michigan, finds that as many as 1.4 million children and youth experiencing homelessness may be unidentified and unsupported by their school during the pandemic.

Updated on December 9, 2020

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NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel joined Tonya Mosley on NPR’s Here and Now to discuss the urgent housing crisis, how we got here, and what the federal government must do to prevent a tsunami of evictions this winter. “The eviction crisis that we’re facing is not only entirely predictable, it’s completely preventable,” said Diane Yentel. “But preventing it requires that Congress and the White House act to implement new protections and provide new resources.”

Yahoo! News discusses what the Biden administration will face in January 2021 in terms of unemployment, housing, utilities, and food insecurity. “One of [Biden’s] first emergency actions must be implementing a broad and uniform moratorium on evictions. Then he and the new Congress must quickly enact a COVID-19 relief package that includes at least $100 billion in emergency rental assistance to keep renters stably housed during the pandemic,” says NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel.

An article in Route Fifty discusses the new report from NLIHC and the Innovation for Justice program at the University of Arizona on the costs of the COVID-19 eviction crisis to public health and social safety net programs. “In addition to the cruelty of throwing people out of their homes during a pandemic, a wave of evictions would create significant downstream costs for public health and social service systems,” says NLIHC’s Diane Yentel. 

Shelterforce examines how President-elect Biden would address the COVID-19 housing crisis. NLIHC Vice President of Public Policy Sarah Saadian speaks about the urgent need for the Biden administration to enact a stronger eviction moratorium and work with Congress to pass a relief package that includes targeted emergency rental assistance. “I think people aren’t really giving enough thought to what a huge wave of evictions will mean for our economy and for public health,” says Sarah Saadian.

USA Today discusses the intimidation tactics landlords have been using to force tenants from their homes during the pandemic. Landlords have used loopholes and certain exemptions in the CDC’s eviction moratorium to evict tenants for nonpayment of rent. NLIHC Vice President for Research Andrew Aurand states that without federal rental assistance, 30 to 40 million people will be at risk for eviction in January.

Marketplace reports the economic fallout from the pandemic is disproportionately impacting the lowest-income renters. The article discusses a joint research note from NLIHC and the Innovation for Justice Program at the University of Arizona, which finds that a wave of evictions could increase the public costs to health and social service systems. A surge in evictions could increase costs for homeless shelters, emergency rooms, child welfare services, and more, says NLIHC Research Analyst Dan Threet.

The Washington Post reports that without congressional action, about 12 million Americans will lose unemployment insurance at the end of the year. The national eviction moratorium also expires on December 31, causing significant concern that many jobless Americans could become homeless.

Despite the CDC moratorium, MarketWatch reports thousands of evictions are occurring across the country. The article reports that a single mother of three children in North Carolina was evicted despite seeking protections under the federal moratorium. Lawyers at Legal Aid of North Carolina state that politically-appointed magistrates, who rule on eviction cases, have disregarded the federal and state moratoriums.

USA Today discusses the coronavirus relief benefits set to expire at the end of the year, including the eviction and foreclosure moratoriums. Despite the CDC’s eviction moratorium, landlords could have initiated eviction proceedings, leaving millions of renters at risk of losing their home in early January.

60 Minutes examines the short- and long-term impacts the impending eviction crisis could have on students. 60 Minutes previewed a new study, led by Dr. Kathryn Leifheit from the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, which finds that evictions led to a total of 433,700 excess COVID-19 cases and 10,700 additional deaths in the U.S. from the beginning of the pandemic until the CDC order in September.

The State of the Nation’s Housing 2020 report from the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University shows affordability challenges worsening for renters, with COVID-19 further exacerbating these challenges. Housing challenges are compounded by racial disparities, with households of color far more likely to be cost-burdened and less likely to be homeowners compared to white households.

The Washington Post reports on the challenges local governments face in distributing federal Coronavirus Relief Fund dollars into the hands of people and communities with the greatest needs. 

The Wall Street Journal reports nearly 13 million individuals will lose unemployment benefits at the end of the year. The expiration of these benefits coincides with the end of the national eviction moratorium and as coronavirus cases surges across the country.

The findings from a new study from researchers at the University of California at San Francisco, “Comparison of infection control strategies to reduce COVID-19 outbreaks in the United States: A simulation study,” support the need for continued non-congregate housing arrangements for people experiencing homelessness. Read NLIHC’s Memo article about the study.

Updated on November 30, 2020

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CNET discusses the CDC national eviction moratorium, highlighting the steps renters must take to receive protection under the order. The article also provides a list of resources for tenants facing financial hardship, including NLIHC’s state and local rental assistance database.

Multi-Housing News discusses growing concerns about the future of rental payments and advocates’ calls for significant federal rental assistance to prevent mass evictions and protect the nation’s rental housing system. “There is an opening now for a COVID-19 relief package before the end of the year,” said NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel. “It will be difficult to get done and at the level we all know is needed…but the door has been opened and it’s a possibility.”

CNBC’s Make It discusses housing experts’ concerns about a tsunami of evictions that will occur if Congress fails to pass another relief package that includes rental assistance and an extended moratorium. The article highlights NLIHC research estimating that $100 billion in emergency rental assistance is needed to prevent an eviction crisis.

An article in Live Science discusses findings from a new study indicating that preventing evictions could play a critical role in controlling the COVID-19 pandemic. Across a wide set of scenarios, researchers found that evictions could lead to significant increases in coronavirus infections.

BBC discusses the results of a new research study posted in EClinical Medicine, which found that Black people are twice as likely as white people to catch the coronavirus. The findings also indicate Asian people are 1.5 times more likely than white people to be infected and may be more likely to need intensive care. The lead researcher notes that ethnic minorities are more likely to experience certain risk factors for coronavirus, including living in multigenerational housing.

The Columbia Journalism Review interviewed Matthew Desmond, Pulitzer Prize-winning author and principal investigator of Princeton University’s Eviction Lab, about our country’s existing eviction crisis and Eviction Lab’s COVID-19 Tracker.

An article in the November issue of the Princeton Alumni Weekly discusses scholars’ warnings that without eviction moratoriums, the U.S. will face a tsunami of evictions.

Updated on November 17, 2020

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In a Marketplace article about the COVID-19 housing crisis, NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel discusses the shortcomings of the CDC eviction moratorium and the critical need for federal action to prevent tens of millions of renters from losing their homes when the moratorium expires on December 31.  

CNN interviewed NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel about the COVID-19 eviction crisis and the long-term impacts of evictions, housing insecurity, and homelessness. “There’s real harm done to individual people, to families, to kids, to communities, and really to our whole country when we allow homelessness and housing poverty to persist,” said Diane Yentel. 

Money shares a state-by-state guide to eviction and foreclosure policies, highlighting concerns from NLIHC’s Diane Yentel about how renters will pay back rent when the federal eviction moratorium expires on December 31. “We will see a tremendous number of evictions in the dead of winter during a COVID-19 spike,” said Diane Yentel. 

The Washington Post reports that the U.S. economy faces significant new strains in the next several months amid a spike in coronavirus cases and the expiration of federal benefits – a period when Washington could be consumed by political gridlock. The article notes millions of renters could face eviction when the federal moratorium expires at the end of the year, citing research from NLIHC and partners.  

Buzzfeed News examines how the pandemic is exacerbating the barriers to voting faced by people experiencing housing insecurity. “This threat of homelessness and eviction has grown more rapidly in the coronavirus pandemic and recession than we have seen in previous recessions, and most of our solutions to this point have simply delayed the pain but not cured the wound,” said NLIHC Director of Field Organizing Joey Lindstrom. 

Salon reports that without additional federal coronavirus relief, 12 million Americans will owe more than $5,000 in missed rent by December. The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia estimates that outstanding rent debt could reach $7.2 billion by the end of the year. 

The Associated Press reports the federal government defended its national eviction moratorium before a federal judge on October 30, arguing the CDC order has helped prevent the spread of COVID-19 and did not overstep the authority provided by Congress. The arguments are part of a federal lawsuit, Tiger Lilly LLC v. HUD, filed by seven landlords in Memphis seeking to overturn the CDC eviction moratorium. 

Axios reports on the looming triple threat of cold weather, new spikes in coronavirus cases, and the expiration of eviction moratoriums. The article discusses efforts to protect people experiencing homelessness during the pandemic and the growth of outdoor homeless encampments. 

Verywell Health examines how COVID-19 evictions are creating a ripple effect of health issues, such as higher risks for contracting and experiencing severe cases of COVID-19, depression, anxiety, and psychological distress. 

The Washington Post reports that Westminster Management, an apartment company co-owned by White House senior advisor Jared Kushner and other investors, has filed hundreds of eviction filings against tenants with past due rent during the pandemic. The company has sent letters to tenants threatening legal fees and filing eviction notices in court – the first legal step toward evicting tenants. 

The Associated Press reports on a federal judge’s denial of a preliminary injunction of the CDC eviction moratorium. “The Court finds that the public’s interest in controlling the spread of COVID-19 is not outweighed by Plaintiffs’ interests in preventing the constitutional violation and economic harm alleged here,” Judge J.P. Boulee writes in his order. 

MarketWatch discusses how the nation’s eviction crisis could prevent some Americans from voting. People who have been displaced from their homes may need to re-register to vote, but there is a significant chance they are not aware of this. 

Poynter provides a brief overview of the shortcomings of the CDC eviction moratorium and lawsuits seeking to overturn the CDC order. 

UN-Habitat outlines why housing must be at the heart of COVID-19 response and recovery efforts across the world. 

Updated on November 10, 2020

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Bloomberg CityLab reports on lawsuits seeking to overturn the CDC moratorium. The article notes NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel’s concerns that landlords seeking to pressure or intimidate renters into leaving sooner will take advantage of the CDC guidance that says landlords may initiate eviction proceedings at any time. 

NBC News reports that from September to October 17, large corporate landlords have filed nearly 10,000 evictions in 23 counties in Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, and Texas. New eviction filings jumped after the CDC released guidance on the moratorium on October 9. 

The National Association of Home Builders and a group of Ohio landlords filed a lawsuit on October 23 challenging the CDC eviction moratorium. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, seeks to overturn the federal eviction moratorium. 

The Wall Street Journal reports on the emerging rental housing crisis in the U.S., which threatens to evict millions of renters and leave landlords short billions of dollars. The rental housing crisis demonstrates the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on households with children, women, and people of color. 

The Washington Post examines how landlords have found loopholes in the CDC national eviction moratorium to evict tenants. Resistance from landlords and the order’s ambiguous wording, which gives local judges room for interpreting the moratorium, have enabled evictions to continue despite the moratorium. 

Common Dreams reports that despite the CDC moratorium, and with assistance from the CDC’s new guidance on the order, corporate landlords have ignored the ban and issued eviction notices to thousands of renters. The article cites new data from the Private Equity Stakeholder Project, which found large corporate landlords filed 10,000 eviction actions in five states between early September and October 17. 

Updated on November 4, 2020

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MarketWatch answers four lingering questions about the CDC eviction moratorium. NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel discusses the CDC guidance on the order, noting the FAQ puts more power back in the hands of landlords. 

Reuters discusses the surge in displacement and homelessness that will occur in January if Congress and the White House do not pass a coronavirus relief package that includes financial assistance for tenants and landlords.

Marketplace examines how without additional federal coronavirus relief aid, renters are struggling to keep up with their payments. According to the latest Marketplace-Edison Research Poll, 64% of Americans fear they will miss a rent payment, putting them at risk of losing their home.

The Private Equity Stakeholder Project reports that despite the CDC eviction moratorium, eviction filings by corporate landlords in the counties it tracks nearly doubled last week (October 12-18) compared to the prior two weeks.

Marketplace reports that a Georgia property owner is among those challenging the CDC eviction moratorium. 

The Hechinger Report examines how seven months into the pandemic, many families are going without basic needs. With help slow to come from Washington, meeting basic needs like food and shelter has become a daily challenge for families.

Northern District of Georgia Judge J.P. Boulee heard arguments on October 20 in the New Civil Liberties Alliance’s lawsuit challenging the CDC’s authority to impose the eviction moratorium. Leslie Vigen of the Department of Justice argued in defense of the CDC eviction moratorium, saying that “invalidating the order would result in millions of evictions through the country leading into the winter flu season.”

As the U.S. faces a looming eviction crisis, housing advocates and policymakers are calling for right to counsel policies that provide all tenants free legal representation in eviction court. Advocates are turning to New York City, where evictions have decreased by 40% since renters were guaranteed legal representation in court.

Updated on October 26, 2020

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The Washington Post reports on the Trump administration’s new guidance on the CDC eviction moratorium. The guidance weakens the order’s protections, leaving millions of renters facing a renewed threat of eviction. “To understand, ask yourself the question: Why would a landlord want to start eviction proceedings in October for an eviction that can’t happen until January? The answer: to pressure, scare, and intimidate renters into leaving sooner,” says NLIHC’s Diane Yentel.

Common Dreams discusses housing advocates’ warnings that the new Trump administration guidance on the CDC eviction moratorium will harm renters and public health. NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel raises concerns that the guidance provides opportunities for landlords to intimidate renters into vacating their homes sooner.

Many small landlords are struggling to maintain payments on their properties, raising concerns that residential landlords will have their properties foreclosed on, and the holdings will be bought by big corporations. Comprehensive rental assistance is needed to support landlords and tenants and protect the affordable housing supply.

Commercial Appeal reports U.S. District Court Judge Mark Norris has scheduled a hearing on the federal lawsuit filed by seven Memphis landlords challenging the CDC eviction moratorium. Judge Norris will hear the case on October 30. Neighborhood Preservation Inc, a Memphis nonprofit agency, asked Judge Norris for permission to intervene on the side of the U.S. government.

In These Times reports on the Trump administration’s new guidance on the federal eviction moratorium, which provides landlords more power to evict tenants. The weakening of the order’s protections followed a flurry of lawsuits from landlords and real estate trade groups.

The New York Times reports eight million people have slipped into poverty since May, with the crisis disproportionately impacting Black and Latino communities. Two new studies demonstrate the effectiveness of the CARES Act and document the rise in poverty that has occurred as the expanded federal aid dwindled. 

Politico reports that without federal intervention, an estimated 13.4 million people will lose their unemployment benefits on December 31, 2020. The CDC national eviction moratorium is also set to expire on December 31.

Updated on October 19, 2020

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MarketWatch reports on the financial cliff facing renters and landlords as Trump abandons federal stimulus talks. “It’s extraordinarily reckless and irresponsible for Trump to blow up negotiations now, when so many renters and small landlords are struggling and when there is growing bipartisan agreement on the urgent need for emergency rental assistance,” says NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel.

NBC News reports that with stimulus talks stalled, renters and landlords are bracing for a new wave of evictions. NLIHC’s Diane Yentel explains that when landlords fall behind on rent, it can have detrimental impacts on the number of affordable housing units.

Mother Jones examines how California farmworkers’ housing and economic insecurities are magnifying the twin crises of the pandemic and unprecedented wildfire season.

Voice of America reports on the millions of renters in the U.S. who are facing eviction amid the pandemic. The article mentions the joint report released by NLIHC, the Aspen Institute, and other national partners.

Emily Benfer, chair of the American Bar Association’s COVID-19 Task Force Committee on Eviction and co-creator of the COVID-19 Housing Policy Scorecard, and Nestor Davidson, professor at Fordham University School of Law, examine the importance of affirming local governments’ power and flexibility to respond to COVID-19 and the eviction crisis.

Bloomberg City Lab discusses the eviction and foreclosure moratorium included in the $2.2 trillion COVID-19 relief package passed by House Democrats. The revised relief package also includes $50 billion in emergency rental assistance funds.

Newsweek compiled state-by-state guidelines to eviction protection during the coronavirus pandemic.

Governing examines the impacts of COVID-19 and the looming eviction crisis on the entire rental market. Millions of renters are at risk of losing their homes when the CDC moratorium expires, and small landlords who rely on rental income may default on their mortgages and be forced to sell properties to institutional investors. There is an urgent need for robust federal rental assistance.

Updated on October 14, 2020

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NPR discusses the inextricable connection between housing stability and health. The article links to the Opportunity Starts at Home campaign’s sign on letter urging congressional leaders to include critical housing resources and protections in the next COVID-19 relief package to support housing stability, promote good health, and reduce risk factors that lead to higher health care utilization.

Politico examines how the coronavirus pandemic is impacting every aspect of well-being in the U.S., including housing stability. The article discusses the looming housing crisis and links to NLIHC’s rental assistance database.

According to a report released by the National Council of State Housing Agencies (NCSHA), U.S. renters will owe up to $34 billion in back rent by January 2021. This rent shortfall estimate does not include any interest or feeds landlords may charge. State housing finance agencies in 33 states have implemented emergency rental assistance programs in the last six months, but they will be unable to meet the overwhelming need for aid without additional federal support.

The Associated Press reports at least 26 lawsuits against eviction moratoriums across the U.S. have been filed by property owners this year, including several federal challenges to the CDC eviction moratorium.

NPR Weekend Edition reports that despite the CDC’s moratorium, landlords have filed tens of thousands of eviction notices.

According to a CNN analysis of Eviction Lab data, neighborhoods with elevated rates of medical conditions that put people at high risk of complications from COVID-19 have seen disproportionately high rates of eviction filings over the last six months.

Vice reports corporate landlords are still filing eviction cases, despite the CDC eviction moratorium. According to the Private Equity Stakeholder Project, corporate landlords filed 5,214 eviction cases in the month following the national moratorium.

The New York Times Magazine shares the stories of elderly Americans facing homelessness amid the pandemic. An analysis estimates that in the next 10 years, the number of seniors experiencing homelessness in the U.S. will nearly triple – and that was before the COVID-19 pandemic.

WYNC’s The Takeaway discusses the rise in homelessness amid the coronavirus pandemic. Anna Orso, a reporter with the Philadelphia Inquirer, speaks about the confluence of the racial justice movement and the movement for affordable housing taking place in Philadelphia.

A Shelterforce article discusses the challenges navigating the eviction process and the long-lasting impacts of eviction. The author outlines actions that can be taken at the federal, state, and local levels to mitigate the looming eviction crisis, highlighting the urgent need for $100 billion in emergency rental assistance.

Updated on October 5, 2020

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MarketWatch explores why the CDC eviction moratorium, without federal rental assistance, will not solve the looming eviction crisis. The article discusses why Congress must pass $100 billion in rental assistance and how these funds might be distributed. “The key is to get more funding into the hands of folks in the least bureaucratic way,” says NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel.

Time reports on the impact months of eviction uncertainty are having on millions of families’ mental health. The article highlights advocates’ calls for emergency rental assistance and long-term policy solutions to address our nation’s affordable housing crisis.

In an op-ed in the Washington Post, Alieza Durana and Anne Kat Alexander of Princeton’s Eviction Lab point to the spike in eviction filings between federal eviction moratoriums as a sign the eviction crisis will get much worse if Congress fails to pass rental assistance.

Knowable Magazine examines the life-altering impacts of evictions that extend far beyond the immediate loss of one’s home. Before COVID-19, millions of people received eviction notices each year, and this number is expected to increase due to the pandemic and its economic fallout.

In an op-ed in the Boston Globe, Emily Benfer, professor at Wake Forest University School of Law and co-creator of the COVID-19 Housing Policy Scorecard with the Eviction Lab, outlines the reality of the eviction crisis and urges policymakers to swiftly intervene to prevent a tidal wave of evictions.

CNBC compiled a list of resources for people struggling to pay their bills, including their rent and mortgage. The article includes a brief overview of the CDC moratorium, a link to NLIHC’s state and local rental assistance database, and additional resources for renters and homeowners.

A new poll of more than 3,000 people from NPR, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health found nearly 1 out of 5 respondents reported struggling to pay rent and mortgage. The poll found Black and Latino households were twice as likely as white families to report they are struggling to pay or have fallen behind on housing payments.

The Wall Street Journal reports that the coronavirus pandemic threatens to widen the longstanding gap in homeownership between Black and White Americans, which could have broader implications for wealth disparities. 

An op-ed in The Hill, written by the CEO of the Community Preservation Corporation and former commissioner of the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development, urges Congress to pass an emergency rental assistance program for tenants impacted by COVID-19, similar to the $100 billion included in the House-passed “HEROES Act.”

Forbes reports the National Apartment Association is joining the New Civil Liberties Alliance (NCLA) in its lawsuit challenging the legality of the CDC eviction moratorium.

Vice reports on a new company called Civvl that aims to make it easy for landlords to hire process services and eviction agents as gig workers. “Legal court evictions are on hold. But most of these management companies, they’re not necessarily evicting people through courts,” said Javier Ruiz, a counselor on the Tenants’ Rights hotline for the Metropolitan Tenants Organization. “They’re just evicting people through pressure. So that’s why I see a company like [Civvl] would be coming in.”

Updated on September 29, 2020

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Yahoo! Money reports on how quickly rental assistance programs are running out of funding, citing NLIHC’s research on rental assistance. NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel discussed the need for at least $100 billion in rental assistance in addition to the federal eviction moratorium.

Marketplace outlines what renters need to know about the CDC eviction moratorium. NLIHC Vice President of Public Policy Sarah Saadian spoke about the CDC declaration form and why rental assistance is needed to keep millions of renters housed after the moratorium is lifted.

Bloomberg reports eviction filings by corporate landlords surged after the CDC enacted its recent moratorium. Institutional landlords filed more than 900 eviction cases across eight metropolitan areas from September 2 to September 8, according to the Private Equity Stakeholder Project. The increase in evictions highlights key challenges to implementing the moratorium.

A Popular Information investigation reveals 62 corporate landlords who have received taxpayer bailouts are pursuing evictions despite the federal moratorium. Landlords are trying to exploit the fact the moratorium is not self-executing.

Bloomberg reports that in many cities, landlords are filing far fewer eviction filings since the CDC imposed a federal moratorium on September 4. “New filings did drop in all sites, in some cases dramatically,” says Peter Hepburn of Princeton University’s Eviction Lab. “With that being said, we’re still seeing a larger number of new filings in several cities.” Hepburn points to the significant variation in how the federal moratorium is being implemented. 

The New York Times reports that interpretations of the CDC eviction moratorium vary state to state, and even judge to judge. Housing advocates and legal aid lawyers are working to inform tenants of their rights under the moratorium and discussing the need for uniform enforcement of the federal order.

Axios spoke to Matthew Desmond, Pulitzer Prize-winning author and professor who leads Princeton University’s Eviction Lab, about the CDC eviction moratorium. “[F]rom a tenant’s point of view, this eviction moratorium is a giant reprieve. But it doesn’t solve their problem, which is, ‘What am I going to do when my bill comes due?” said Desmond.

BeLatina reports on the disproportionate impact of the pandemic and its economic fallout on communities of color. As federal COVID-19 assistance becomes scarce, underserved communities fear losing their homes.

A Washington Post op-ed urges Congress to take immediate action to address the COVID-19 economic crisis by prioritizing robust rental assistance, federal supplement unemployment insurance, food aid, and other critical resources included in the “HEROES Act.”

NPR Morning Edition reports that despite the federal ban, many renters are still getting evicted. A reporter for Houston Public Media found that of the 100 eviction cases they observed, only one renter was able to use the CDC order to block their eviction.

Vice reports that landlords are still trying to evict tenants despite the federal eviction moratorium. Housing experts warn that varied interpretations of the order and inconsistent applications will create widespread confusion among property owners and renters.

The National League of Cities discusses the impact of the looming eviction crisis on school-age youth. The CDC moratorium has delayed but not alleviated the impending eviction cliff.

Updated on September 22, 2020

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The Washington Post argues that without federal action to provide rental assistance, the CDC eviction moratorium will only delay mass evictions until January. The CDC order has halted evictions temporarily, but Congress must take action to prevent an eviction crisis when the federal moratorium ends. 

CNBC reports on housing advocates’ concerns that loopholes in the CDC eviction moratorium and inconsistent state applications leave renters vulnerable to eviction. There are concerning signs that landlords are continuing to evict tenants despite the federal ban. 

NPR compiled a list of recommendations and resources for tenants who are unable to pay the rent, including information from NLIHC, the National Housing Law Project, and Princeton University’s Eviction Lab. 

The ABA Journal discusses warnings from housing lawyers that the impending eviction crisis will upend the housing market and devastate entire communities. There are concerns that landlords are attempting to find loopholes in the order and proceed with evicting tenants for other reasons. “They are banking on the tenants not knowing their rights and then not having legal representation,” says Rafael Bautista, co-director of the San Diego Tenants Unions. 

USA Today examines how the COVID-19 pandemic is exacerbating existing housing disparities in the U.S. The article argues that while the federal eviction moratorium is an essential measure, it is delaying, not preventing, the eviction crisis. 

CNBC released an FAQ about the CDC eviction moratorium. 

NPR’s Planet Money discusses the pandemic’s impact on the housing market, noting that the current market reflects America’s increasing inequality. While the housing market is booming, there is a significant shortfall in rental demand across the country. 

“It’s incredibly important to keep people in their homes, not only from a public health standpoint, but from a human dignity standpoint and to make sure people aren’t cast into homelessness because of this pandemic,” Matthew Desmond, Pulitzer Prize-winning author and principal investigator of Princeton University’s Eviction Lab, told MSNBC’s Kasie Hunt. 

Updated on September 15, 2020

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NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel spoke with Judy Woodruff on PBS NewsHour about what the CDC’s eviction moratorium means for renters and landlords. “The eviction moratorium is essential, but it’s a half-measure… Emergency rental assistance absolutely has to be paired with this eviction moratorium. And only Congress can provide those resources,” said Diane Yentel. 

NLIHC’s Diane Yentel spoke with Yahoo! Finance about the administration’s new eviction moratorium, the urgent need for emergency rental assistance, and the need for substantial, sustained investments to address our nation’s underlying affordable housing crisis. 

NPR reports on the CDC’s eviction moratorium. “My reaction is a feeling of tremendous relief,” says NLIHC’s Diane Yentel. “It’s a pretty extraordinary and bold and unprecedented measure that the White House is taking that will save lives and prevent tens of millions of people from losing their homes in the middle of a pandemic.” 

Marketplace reports on the CDC’s eviction moratorium, highlighting advocates’ concerns that an eviction moratorium on its own is not enough. “Because eventually those moratoriums expire, and they create a financial cliff for renters to fall off of when back rent is owed,” said NLIHC’s Diane Yentel. 

NLIHC’s Diane Yentel and Shamus Roller, executive director of the National Housing Law Project, spoke about the Trump administration’s eviction moratorium on KALW’s “Your Call.” “Because the moratorium is not paired with substantial emergency rental assistance, the executive merely postpones evictions nationwide; it does not prevent them,” said Diane Yentel. 

CityLab reports on the CDC’s eviction moratorium, highlighting the importance of spreading awareness about the protections to renters at risk of losing their homes. Rental assistance must be a top legislative priority when Congress returns to session on September 8, says NLIHC’s Diane Yentel.  

The Washington Post reports on the White House’s eviction moratorium, highlighting concerns from Democratic lawmakers and housing experts. NLIHC’s Diane Yentel described the new policy as “long overdue and badly needed,” while also calling on Congress and the White House to enact a coronavirus relief bill with at least $100 billion in emergency rental assistance. 

The New York Times discusses the CDC’s eviction moratorium, quoting NLIHC’s Diane Yentel’s statement on the order. While NLIHC welcomes the moratorium, Congress and the White House must enact a relief bill that includes rental assistance. The New York Times also released an FAQ about the new order. 

Truthout reports on the administration’s eviction moratorium, highlighting statements from NLIHC’s Diane Yentel. The article also discusses three NLIHC-supported housing bills: the “Emergency Rental Assistance and Rental Market Stabilization Act,” “Eviction Crisis Act,” and the “Housing Emergencies Lifeline Program Act.” 

Common Dreams discusses reactions to the White House’s eviction moratorium from housing advocates and policy experts, including NLIHC’s Diane Yentel. “While an eviction moratorium is essential, it is a half-measure that extends a financial cliff for renters to fall off when the moratorium expires and back rent is owed,” said Diane Yentel. 

Curbed NY provides an overview of the administration’s eviction moratorium, linking to NLIHC’s Diane Yentel’s Twitter thread on the announcement. The article also highlights concerns about the moratorium from landlords. “Not only does an eviction moratorium not address renters' real financial needs, a protracted eviction moratorium does nothing to address the financial pressures and obligations of rental-property owners,” said the president of the National Multifamily Housing Council. 

Bloomberg refers to the CDC’s eviction moratorium as an “unprecedented use of executive authority” that will likely face legal challenges from landlords. Administration officials say the CDC can take emergency measures when it determines that state and local governments have not taken sufficient steps to prevent the spread of communicable diseases.  

The New York Times explains why the administration’s eviction moratorium alone will not prevent a housing crisis. Rental assistance is needed to support both tenants and landlords. The article highlights the House-passed “HEROES Act,” which includes $100 billion in emergency rental assistance. 

Reuters explains the administration’s sweeping eviction moratorium. The article also mentions the House-passed “HEROES Act,” which, among other provisions, includes $100 billion in emergency rental assistance and a national, uniform moratorium. 

A two-month investigation by the Howard Center for Investigative Journalism at the University of Maryland found that confusion about the federal eviction moratorium enacted in the CARES Act led to selective enforcement. 

Matthew Desmond, Pulitzer Prize-winning author and principal investigator at Princeton University’s Eviction Lab, outlines the urgent need for Congress to prevent evictions and protect the security and health of American families in an op-ed in the New York Times. “Our efforts to defeat COVID-19 and recover from the economic damage it has wrought will be deeply compromised if we fail to help keep families in their homes,” he writes. 

Legal aid attorneys and housing advocates told CNBC that the federal eviction moratorium enacted in the CARES Act failed to protect many struggling tenants because it lacked an enforcement mechanism. Fewer than half of states required landlords to attest that their evictions did not violate the CARES Act. 

The Howard Center for Investigative Journalism finds that people experiencing homelessness in rural America suffer from a lack of appropriate care and access to health resources during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

An article in the New Republic discusses the dangerous confluence of a looming eviction crisis, flu season, colder temperatures, and the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. 

CNBC reports that “mom and pop” landlords are being disproportionately harmed as more and more renters are unable to afford rent. Without congressional action, small landlords and their tenants will fall deeper behind on their payments, leading to more evictions for renters and more mortgage defaults for landlords. 

CNN’s Kyung Lah shares stories of people facing eviction in Houston due to the economic stresses of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The Washington Post examines housing advocates’ concerns that an eviction crisis still looms without federal rent relief alongside the eviction moratorium. Rental relief is key to stabilizing the market, but any additional rental assistance must come from the federal government since city and state governments are unable to meet the overwhelming need for aid. 

The Hill reports that the Trump administration’s new eviction moratorium likely will face several legal and political challenges. The article discusses concerns from housing advocates and the real estate industry that without rental assistance, the expiration of the ban will create a dangerous housing crisis in the new year. 

The Washington Post reports on opposition to the Trump administration’s new eviction moratorium from landlords, home builders, and other housing industry groups. Objections to the action concern the federal government’s failure to provide rental assistance alongside the moratorium. 

The Howard Center for Investigative Journalism found that essential workers who are homeless face the greatest risk of COVID-19. Experts say between 25-50% of people experiencing homelessness work. During the pandemic, this means many employees who are homeless are working low-wage essential jobs that put them at risk of the coronavirus. 

Stacey Vanek Smith and Cardiff Garcia of NPR’s Planet Money examine why millions of renters in the U.S. could soon face eviction. 

The National Journal reports on the impending eviction crisis, noting that millions of people in the U.S. could lose their homes if the federal government does not intervene. The article discusses the need for rental assistance, a broad national eviction moratorium, and access to legal counsel for all tenants. 

While the Trump administration’s eviction moratorium will prevent millions from losing their homes ahead of the election, the pandemic is creating additional barriers to voting for people experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity. 

The Appeal examines why housing insecurity brought on by the pandemic threatens to disenfranchise millions of voters.

Updated on September 10, 2020

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The Washington Post reports that President Trump’s attempts to bypass Congress on stimulus relief have produced limited economic relief and prevented very few evictions. “If Congress does nothing, we are very likely to see millions of renters face displacement of eviction, starting in September and October,” said NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel.

The Washington Post reports on data indicating that millions of people across the country are behind on their rent. “When our collective health depends on our ability to stay in our homes, we all have a stake to ensure that tens of millions of people don’t lose theirs,” said NLIHC’s Diane Yentel.

Bloomberg reports on the historic eviction crisis facing the U.S., explaining that formal evictions are not the only threat facing renters. Eviction is a legal process, but the mere threat of eviction often pushes renters to move out.

The New York Times reports that legal aid lawyers are preparing to defend renters in housing courts. For tenants, especially those with low-incomes, having legal representation can be the difference between being evicted or being allowed to remain in their home.

Despite being one of the populations at greatest risk of contracting and becoming severely ill from the coronavirus, people experiencing homelessness have been largely ‘invisible victims of the crisis.’ The Howard Center for Investigative Journalism developed a vulnerability index to understand which counties’ homeless populations might struggle the most in a COVID-19 outbreak.

The Howard Center for Investigative Journalism found that, as of early August, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development had distributed less than one-third of the $4 billion provided by the CARES Act.

HuffPost discusses how Cincinnati’s new law requiring landlords to accept alternatives to a security deposit could help renters survive the pandemic-triggered eviction crisis. NLIHC’s Diane Yentel says that alternatives to security deposits provide much-needed assistance to get families into homes, but there is an urgent need to address the underlying causes of the U.S.’ affordable housing crisis.

The Guardian reports on the U.S.’ looming eviction crisis, discussing the joint report released by NLIHC and nine other institutions that found 30-40 million people in America are at risk of eviction.

NPR shares stories of people struggling to remain in their homes after the federal supplemental unemployment benefit and eviction moratorium expired. Without federal intervention, including emergency rental assistance, a uniform eviction moratorium, and expanded unemployment benefits, millions of renters in the U.S. will face eviction.

CNET explains that starting August 24, millions of renters who were protected from eviction by the CARES Act could lose their homes. The article provides resources for renters who are facing a potential eviction.

The Guardian reports that millions of Americans are struggling to afford food and pay their rent and utility bills after the federal supplemental unemployment benefits expired at the end of July.

CNN’s Kyung Lah shares stories of people facing financial stress and eviction after the federal eviction moratorium and relief benefits expired at the end of July.

Mother Jones reports that housing advocates and voting experts are concerned that the U.S.’ upcoming eviction crisis will create barriers to voting by mail. “Those who are being most impacted by the COVID crisis may end up being largely excluded from the democratic process as a result,” says Brian Miller, executive director of Nonprofit VOTE.

Diana Li, an eviction lawyer at the Legal Aid Society, spoke to Vox about the long-standing structural issues the pandemic has brought to light, the lack of respect landlords have for the moratorium, and why New York’s court system was not prepared for pandemic.

Updated on September 2, 2020.

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The Washington Post reports that despite President Trump’s repeated claims that his administration and executive order would protect people from losing their homes, evictions have continued across the country. “It risks doing more harm than good by giving people a false impression that Trump is doing something to prevent evictions,” said NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel on the president’s executive order.

Newsweek discusses housing advocates’ warnings that the expiration of the federal eviction moratorium will lead to a surge in COVID-19 cases, increase in poverty, and future housing shortages. NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel spoke to Newsweek about the president’s executive order and need for robust emergency rental assistance.

U.S. News & World Report outlines what tenants can expect from President Trump’s August 8 executive order, highlighting advocates’ concerns that the order, which does not halt evictions, might give renters a false sense of security. NLIHC’s Diane Yentel discusses the urgent need for housing and homelessness resources and what renters can do to prevent eviction.

Administration officials told Politico that the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will extend a ban on evictions and foreclosures for homes backed by the Federal Housing Administration through the end of the year. The move will cover far fewer homes than did the four-month eviction moratorium that expired on July 24. “The very limited number of covered properties with renters living in them are already covered under existing law, the ‘Protecting Tenants in Foreclosure Act,” said NLIHC’s Diane Yentel.

“The stock market is still going up and up, right? Meanwhile, everybody I know is out of a job. Everybody is behind on the rent. Most of us are becoming homeless,” said Tusdae Barr in an interview with the Washington Post on being evicted during the pandemic. “I’m worth nothing on paper, so who’s going to rent to me?”

Federal coronavirus relief aid has kept many tenants housed, but the New York Times reports that as this support ebbs, tenants are forced to take increasingly desperate measures to pay rent - with potentially devastating long-term effects. Solely focusing on eviction rates can paint a misleadingly optimistic picture of the devastating situations millions of tenants are facing.

CNBC reports that evictions are expected to skyrocket as eviction protections come to an end. The federal ban on evictions expired last month, and many states that enacted eviction moratoriums have allowed them to expire. 

The United Nations’ expert on housing rights warned of an impending eviction tsunami and urged governments around the world to ban all evictions until the pandemic ends. “Losing your home during the pandemic could mean losing your life,” said Balakrishnan Rajagopal, the United Nations’ special rapporteur on the right to housing. “The right to life and adequate housing are intrinsically linked.”

According to Shelterforce, homeless service providers report that the shift from congregate shelters to hotel rooms has had dramatically positive impacts on their clients.

The Fulcrum reports that the looming eviction crisis could create significant barriers to voting in the November election. Like most forms of disenfranchisement, the mass eviction crisis is expected to impact minority communities the most.

The World Economic Forum examines eviction protections implemented around the world in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The article highlights research from NLIHC, Princeton University’s Eviction Lab, and the Aspen Institute.

The Washington Post reports that residential segregation plays a significant role in coronavirus disparities. According to a new study, counties with the highest percentage of white residents have had the lowest rates of coronavirus infections. Residential segregation, structural racism, and social determinants of health were noted as key factors driving higher rates of coronavirus diagnoses among communities of color.

HuffPost examines how the pandemic-triggered eviction crisis could compound voter suppression in November’s presidential election. People who have recently been evicted likely will face complicated hurdles in order to vote.

Pop Culture reports on President Trump’s executive order on evictions, citing NLIHC’s statement on how the executive order is an “empty shell of a promise.”

NPR’s "On Point" podcast discusses the looming eviction crisis.

Voice of America reports on the millions of U.S. renters at risk of eviction by the end of the year. Housing advocates are calling on Congress to provide immediate relief and implement long-term policy initiatives to address the country’s affordable housing crisis.

An article in Beyond Chron examines how mass evictions could impact the presidential election this November by causing millions of displaced tenants to lose their voting rights.

Realtor.com outlines steps renters can take to fight an eviction during the coronavirus pandemic.

Vox shares the stories of three renters, in vastly different situations, who have been adversely impacted by their landlords’ actions.

Updated on August 25, 2020.

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In an interview on MSNBC , NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel stated, “If there is not a significant and sustained federal intervention, there will be a tremendous increase in evictions across our country. We estimate that anywhere between 30-40 million renters are at risk of losing their homes before the end of the year if Congress does not act.” Watch the full interview: https://bit.ly/30GZayH  

 “Evictions risk lives. They drive families deeper into poverty. They risk further burdening our already overstretched hospital systems,” said NLIHC’s Diane Yentel in a CNN video on COVID-19 and the looming eviction crisis. “They make it more difficult than ever for us to truly contain the pandemic as a country.”

Politico reports on the shortcomings of President Trump’s executive order extending the eviction moratorium. “Layering a patchwork of state and local eviction moratoriums on top of the limited federal moratorium gave some level of protection to most renters, but these protections are expiring rapidly,” said NLIHC’s Diane Yentel. “Today, renters in 30 states – including many with surging coronavirus cases – lack any federal or statewide protections against eviction.”

NPR Morning Edition reports on how Trump's executive order on housing neither bans evictions outright nor provides rental assistance – actions that need to be approved by Congress. Housing activists say it will do little to stop the tidal wave of evictions that's coming. "There's tremendous urgency," adds Diane Yentel. "There are millions of renters who can't sleep at night because they don't know what they're going to do if they become homeless."

The Guardian reports on the wave of evictions that is sweeping across the United States after federal protections expired at the end of July. The article discusses housing advocates’ critiques of President Trump’s executive order and concerns about the looming eviction crisis and rise in homelessness.

NBC News reports that landlords could exploit tenants impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic to fast-track evictions, upgrade newly vacant units, and offer them at a premium price. 

ABC News shares the stories of families struggling to stay afloat without federal relief aid. As lawmakers are still locked in a stalemate over a coronavirus relief package, the U.S. faces the most severe housing crisis it has ever seen.

Marketplace examines how missed rental payments could impact the affordable housing supply. Research indicates that tenants in Class C properties, which tend to be older and serve low- to moderate-income tenants, are struggling to pay the rent at much higher rates than tenants in higher-end properties.

Vice reports on the potential for Great Depression levels of homelessness by year's end. “Without a significant and sustained federal intervention, America will experience an increase in homelessness the likes of which we haven’t seen since the Great Depression,” said Diane Yentel.

Bloomberg CityLab reports that President Trump’s executive order does not require any concrete action to prevent a coronavirus housing crisis. “The President alluded to ‘stopping evictions,’ but the executive order fails to provide any meaningful relief to the millions of renters who are at risk of losing their homes,” said NLIHC’s Diane Yentel in her statement about the executive order.

CNBC explains that President Trump’s executive order does not extend the eviction moratorium or offer immediate assistance to help prevent evictions. The article cites Diane Yentel’s statement on the executive order. 

Shelterforce republished Diane Yentel’s statement on President Trump’s executive order.

The New York Times reports how President Trump’s attempts to circumvent Congress to provide coronavirus relief has resulted in confusion and uncertainty.

 A New York Times opinion piece explores the impact of the affordable housing crisis on the millions of families who will lose their apartments.

The New York Times reports how President Trump’s attempts to circumvent Congress to provide coronavirus relief has resulted in confusion and uncertainty.

 A New York Times opinion piece explores the impact of the affordable housing crisis on the millions of families who will lose their apartments.

Politico reports on housing advocates’ concerns that President Trump’s executive order may be worse than inaction by reducing the urgency to reach a deal with Congress and giving renters a false sense of security. The article cites NLIHC’s Diane Yentel’s statement on the executive order and Representative Maxine Waters’ (D-CA) statements during NLIHC’s national call on August 10.

CNN discusses a report released by NLIHC and nine other institutions and organizations. The report found that without significant federal intervention, 30-40 million people in the U.S. are at risk of eviction by the end of the year.

Newsweek reports on how the President’s new eviction executive order may not help the up to 40 million people in the United States could be at risk of eviction in the next few months. The risk is highest in California, where more than 4 million people face losing their homes, followed by New York, Texas, Florida, Ohio and Illinois. The article cites NLIHC’s statement on President Trump’s eviction order.

Politico reports that federal housing aid during the pandemic disproportionately benefits white households over minorities, with Black households most at risk of eviction.

The Guardian explains why President Trump’s executive order will do little to help 

homeowners and renters, citing NLIHC’s statement on why the order is an “empty shell of promise.”

Bloomberg examines how the coronavirus pandemic has exposed disparities in America’s rental housing that will likely grow wider. While landlords of more expensive apartments have collected most of their rent payments during the pandemic, owners of older, more affordable units have not, threatening our country’s affordable housing supply.

Fast Company reports that while President Trump claimed that he would protect people from evictions, his executive order fails to protect renters. The order does not even extend the limited federal eviction moratorium included in the CARES Act.

A report from the Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) found that the COVID-19 pandemic is leading to more precarious housing situations, particularly for Black and Hispanic renters. Learn about the main findings of the forthcoming CEPR report here.

Updated on August 19, 2020.

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NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel, Peter Hepburn of Eviction Lab, and Sam Gilman of the COVID-19 Eviction Defense Project spoke about the unprecedented wave of evictions that will occur in the coming months. “It’s very clear that if the federal government doesn’t intervene – and do it soon – we will have a tremendous wave of evictions and a spike in homelessness across the country,” said Diane Yentel. Watch the Washington Post video here.

The Washington Post reports that experts and renters are bracing for an unprecedented eviction crisis in the coming months as discussions about the next coronavirus relief package have stalled. “In many ways, the [eviction] wave has already begun in places where eviction moratoriums have lifted,” said Diane Yentel.

The Washington Post reports that President Trump has repeatedly promised over the last week to take executive action to enact a federal eviction moratorium. It is unclear whether President Trump would reinstate the CARES Act moratorium, which only covered about one-third of renters, or enact a broader moratorium. “The answer to the challenge of a complicated patchwork [of eviction bans] is a single uniform federal moratorium,” said Diane Yentel. “An eviction moratorium must be paired with at least $100 billion in rental assistance.”

The Nation interviewed Diane Yentel, president and CEO of NLIHC, and Emily Benfer, co-creator of the Princeton Eviction Lab’s COVID-19 Housing Policy Scorecard, to discuss the unprecedented wave of evictions that our country will experience if Congress does not intervene. 

The Washington Journal interviewed Diane Yentel, president and CEO On NLIHC, to discusses coronavirus' effect on renters now that the federal moratorium on evictions has expired.

USA Today reports that Black and Latino households make up a disproportionate share of people in America who reported having little to no chance of being able to pay August’s rent. “Our housing system reflects tremendous disparities in race. And people of color are most at risk for evictions,” said NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel. “These inequities are being compounded by COVID-19.”

The Washington Post published an OpEd on the affordable housing crisis by Senator Elizabeth Warren and Carrol Fife, director of the Oakland office of the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment. The OpEd makes the case that Congress immediately pass strong federal legislation to guard against the coming wave of evictions and foreclosures, including emergency rental assistance. Longer term solutions include passage of the American Housing and Economic Mobility Act, which would invest $445B in the national Housing Trust Fund over ten years. 

KCUR, Kansas City Public Radio, highlights the impact of evictions on children. “Even before the pandemic we had an affordability crisis,” said Mike Koprowski, national campaign director for the National Low Income Housing Coalition. “We think there’s going to be a wave of evictions if Congress doesn’t act on another relief package. It’s going to further disrupt kids whose lives and learning processes have already been upended by school closures.”

A new analysis by Politico found that federal housing aid during the coronavirus pandemic disproportionately benefits white households over minorities, with Black households most at risk. The federal assistance favors homeowners over renters, and because white households are more likely to own homes — a long-standing trend with roots in racist housing policy — they have more access to aid. Black households are more likely to rent than any other group, so they will be hardest hit with evictions likely to proceed in states without moratoriums, including Texas and Georgia.

The Washington Post Power Up discusses housing advocates’ concerns about the eviction cliff and updates from Capitol Hill about the next coronavirus relief package. Congress is negotiating a deal on eviction protections and President Trump has threatened to take unilateral action if a deal is not finalized.

The Associated Press reports on experts’ concerns that many states are bracing for a wave of evictions as moratoriums expire. Along with exacerbating an existing affordable housing crisis, the spike in eviction filings is raising concerns that housing courts could spread the coronavirus.

An op-ed in the Hill makes the case that there has never been a more opportune moment to make a permanent and equitable investment in housing for people experiencing homelessness. 

Yahoo reports that, without federal intervention, up to 40 million Americans may face eviction in the next several months, and the crisis will disproportionately impact communities of color, especially women. The article provides an overview of solutions that the U.S. can take to prevent the looming eviction crisis.

An article in Health Affairs examines the connection between evictions, COVID-19, and health equity. The authors discuss several policy solutions to stem the tide of evictions and explore the critical role that the health care sector plays in advocating for eviction prevention measures and sustainable affordable housing solutions.

The Markup reports on the harmful long-term impacts that COVID-19-related eviction filings will have on tenants. Regardless of whether eviction filings end up in a payment plan or an eviction, any filing or debt to a past landlord can stain a renter’s record and limit their housing options for years.

Emily Benfer, Wake Forest law professor and co-creator of the Princeton Eviction Lab’s COVID-19 Housing Policy Scorecard, discussed COVID-19 and the looming eviction crisis on the Johns Hopkins Public Health on Call podcast.

CNN’s Alexandra Field reports on the many challenges facing people experiencing homelessness during the pandemic and the dire predictions that millions of people could become homeless as a result of COVID-19 and its economic fallout.

CNN outlines what renters can do if they are unable to pay August rent, linking to NLIHC’s rental assistance program list.

Bloomberg reports on the pandemic’s impact on affordable housing production and the urgent need for Congress to enact emergency housing assistance. “We have this immediate need for $100 billion in rental assistance just to keep people housed now. And that doesn’t address the need for permanent affordable housing,” said NLIHC Vice President of Research Andrew Aurand. “Even in the face of this pandemic, all evidence points to the fact that the Republican proposal may not have any money for housing or a pittance,” said NLIHC Vice President of Public Policy Sarah Saadian. “If this moment doesn’t motivate you to support housing, what will?”

The New York Times examines how overcrowding, not density, has defined many coronavirus hot spots. Evictions are already ramping back up, and many people who are evicted may be forced into overcrowded living situations - compounding the conditions that increase the spread of the coronavirus.

The Washington Post reports that in recent weeks, Latinos and Native Americans have made up an increasing share of COVID-19 deaths. In hot-spot states and in states where the total number of deaths has decreased, Latinos make up an increasing share of those deaths. Overcrowded housing, exposure to air pollution, and jobs in the meatpacking industry place Latinos at particularly high risk for coronavirus infection and death.

Invisible People posted an article outlining the urgent need for Congress to enact $100 billion in emergency rental assistance. The article discusses NLIHC’s rental assistance database and the “Emergency Rental Assistance and Rental Market Stabilization Act.”

Matthew Desmond, Pulitzer Prize winning author and principal investigator at Princeton University’s Eviction Lab, spoke with Democracy about the looming eviction crisis.

In an MSNBC interview, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) expressed confidence that there will be an agreement on the next relief package. Speaker Pelosi also said that while President Trump might be able to extend the eviction moratorium through an executive action, it would be of limited use without money for rental assistance attached. Speaker Pelosi told CNBC that she hopes President Trump takes steps to extend the eviction moratorium, but noted that a moratorium on its own is insufficient.

“Upon departing the Oval Office for Ohio, I’ve notified my staff to continue working on an Executive Order with respect to Payroll Tax Cut, Eviction Protections, Unemployment Extensions, and Student Loan Repayment Options," President Trump wrote on Twitter.

Pew Trusts Stateline discusses housing advocates’ concerns about the looming eviction crisis. “Eviction moratoriums, on their own, aren’t enough,” said Diane Yentel. “They must be paired with substantial and sustained rental assistance.”

The Associated Press reports that White House chief of staff Mark Meadows threatened that President Trump is exploring options to use executive authority to extend a partial eviction moratorium and address unemployment benefits.

According to the Washington Post, the Trump administration has asked federal agencies to identify the CARES Act funds that they have not yet spent. White House officials are trying to determine whether these dollars could be redirected and used for other purposes, like the eviction moratorium or temporary unemployment benefits. 

Axios Re:Cap spoke with Alieza Durana of the Eviction Lab at Princeton University about the looming eviction crisis.

The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season has already set records for being so active. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts that this will be an “extremely active” hurricane season.

Updated on August 11, 2020.

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NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel discussed the urgent need for emergency rental assistance and a national, uniform eviction moratorium on ABC7 News. Watch a clip here.

Politico reports on how cities across the country are bracing for a surge of evictions as the federal eviction moratorium expired on July 24 at midnight. “If the federal ban is not extended, if the state and local eviction moratoriums that are scheduled to expire in the coming weeks do, and if no emergency rental assistance is provided, then from the end of August through fall, millions of Americans will be evicted from their homes,” said NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel.

Marketplace examines the long-term, harmful outcomes of eviction filings. “There’s this spiraling down into poverty that can happen from just one eviction filing,” said Diane Yentel.

Diane Yentel spoke with  CBS News about the expected wave of evictions in the coming months. About 13 million people could face eviction as a result of the expiration of the federal eviction moratorium. 

CNBC reports on the Senate Republican proposal for the next relief package, noting that it does not include an extension of the federal eviction moratorium or adequate housing relief. The article cited Diane Yentel’s statement about the proposal: “This funding is a drop in an ocean of need among unsubsidized renters and people experiencing homelessness.”

HuffPost calls attention to the millions of people in America who will be unable to pay rent this Saturday, August 1. If Congress does not intervene, millions of Americans will be evicted in the coming months. “The looming eviction crisis is both completely predictable and entirely preventable,” said Diane Yentel.

“We’re going to work on the eviction, so that people don’t get evicted...We ought to stop evictions because that expires very soon,” said President Trump, according to Jeff Stein with the Washington Post. The federal eviction moratorium expired last Friday, July 24. Then, White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow on July 26 unexpectedly told CNN’s Jake Tapper that the Trump administration will extend the federal eviction moratorium that expired on July 24. Time also reported on Kudlow’s announcement that the administration would extend the moratorium. 

CNBC posted an article outlining what people can do if they are facing eviction now that the federal eviction moratorium has expired.

The Washington Post reports that President Trump called for an extension of the eviction moratorium, despite the Senate Republicans excluding it from their proposal.

Reuters reports that U.S. renters owe $21.5 billion in back rent. Making matters worse, the federal eviction moratorium expired on July 24, and the supplemental unemployment benefits expire on July 31. Senate Republicans proposed a plan on July 27 that did not mention housing, evictions, or reinstating the eviction moratorium.

CNBC reports that 40 million Americans may be evicted as a result of the pandemic - four times the amount seen during the Great Recession. Despite record high unemployment levels and growing coronavirus cases, the federal eviction moratorium expired and statewide eviction moratoriums in more than 30 states have lifted.

The New York Times editorial board writes about Senate Republicans’ failure to intervene and protect millions of Americans from losing critical federal aid. Almost 40 million people in America do not expect to be able to pay their next rent or mortgage payment, and nearly 30 million people reported that they did not have enough to eat during the week ending July 21.

An article in the Conversation examines why our country’s landlord-leaning eviction court process will exacerbate the impending COVID-19 eviction crisis.

An opinion piece in the Washington Post examines the adverse impacts that eviction has on children’s educational outcomes, cognitive development, and health. The author makes the case that if we are concerned about keeping students safe and educational equity, we must prioritize eviction prevention.

CNBC reports on how the impending eviction crisis will harm some states more than others and highlighted that Black and Latino tenants are especially at risk of eviction. 

The coronavirus pandemic is exacerbating inequities across the country, especially in housing. According to the Washington Post, the affluent are taking advantage of the least expensive mortgage rates in history to buy bigger homes, while renters are facing significant job losses and growing threats of eviction.

Forbes reports that after the federal eviction moratorium expired on July 24, mass evictions are set to begin, and communities of color will be most impacted. Senate Republicans are expected to unveil their proposal for the next COVID-19 relief package, and if eviction and housing protections are not included, a surge of evictions and rise in homelessness will shatter communities across the country.

An op-ed in the Hill makes a case for why the Senate and the president must immediately enact the rental assistance and nationwide eviction moratorium included in the House-passed HEROES Act.

24/7 Wall St. used U.S. Census Survey data to track which areas in the country are most struggling to pay rent or mortgage during the coronavirus pandemic. The analysis found that in some parts of the country, less than 15% of adults are missing, or will likely soon miss, a rent or mortgage payment. In other parts of the country, more than one-third of adults cannot afford their housing payments.

USA Today discusses 24/7 Wall St.’s report on which states have the largest share of the population struggling to pay rent or mortgage, and highlighted the finding that many of the states where the largest portions of adults cannot afford to make housing payments are also some of the poorest states.

CBS News reports on the millions of Americans that are facing homelessness after the federal eviction moratorium expired on July 24 at midnight.

Updated on August 4, 2020.

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Reuters reported on the dangers of evicting people during a pandemic. As the number of evictions increases in areas where the coronavirus is rising, displaced families are doubling up with relatives or moving into shelters. “In these cases where social distancing is difficult or impossible, the likelihood of them contracting and spreading coronavirus increases exponentially,” said NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel.

Illegal evictions have been reported across the country, and if Congress extends the federal eviction moratorium in another relief bill, advocates are urging Congress to include penalties for landlords who attempt to skirt the rules. “There should also be clearly delineated enforcement mechanisms and steep penalties for landlords who flout the law,” Diane Yentel told the New York Times.

NPR’s “Morning Edition” reported on advocates’ concerns that without federal intervention, the wave of evictions already happening across the country will become a tsunami. Like so many other parts of this crisis, people of color will be disproportionately harmed. “It’s very clear that without a sustained federal intervention, there will be a wave of evictions and a spike in homelessness across the country,” said Diane Yentel.

USA Today reported on data from the U.S. Census Bureau, which found that 24 million Americans reported having little to no chance of being able to pay next month’s rent. Black and Hispanic households represent a disproportionate share of those in danger. “Our housing system reflects tremendous disparities in race. And people of color are most at risk for evictions. These inequities are being compounded by COVID-19,” said Diane Yentel, president and CEO of NLIHC.

Vice examined how mass evictions due to Congressional inaction could be significantly destabilizing for communities of color. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, approximately 56% of the nearly 24 million people who have little to no confidence in their ability to pay next month’s rent are Black or Latinx.

ProPublica found that the federal eviction moratorium was largely successful in keeping millions of renters from facing eviction during the pandemic. As the protections fade, landlords are preparing to return to court. “The next three weeks are going to be critically important. There will be a bill at the end of it, one way or another, and the scope and extent of it will determine if a tsunami of evictions will happen,” said NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel. 

In an article on the looming eviction crisis in the Los Angeles Times, NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel called attention to the need for Congress to provide broad rental assistance and other protections for tenants. While expanded unemployment insurance has been significant and helpful, it is insufficient to ensure housing stability for low-income renters.

An article in Marketplace highlighted advocates’ warnings of a potential wave of evictions when the expanded unemployment insurance benefits and eviction moratoriums expire at the end of the month. The article highlights that the tsunami of evictions will disproportionately impact people of color. “People of color are most at risk of eviction. They are disproportionately rent burdened,” said Diane Yentel.

NBC News reported on the significant challenges facing low-income renters as the expanded unemployment benefits and federal eviction moratoriums expire at the end of July. Without significant federal intervention, our country will experience an avalanche of evictions. The people disproportionately impacted by evictions – including people of color, seniors, people with disabilities, and families with children – are those most vulnerable to the pandemic.

An analysis from the Center for Public Integrity analyzed 8,089 eviction cases filed between March 27 and July 10 and found a clear pattern: landlords are filing eviction cases in poor, non-white neighborhoods across the jurisdictions it examined. “It’s deeply troubling. We’ve known for some time that there is a tremendous risk of extremely low-income renters being harmed by this crisis and being evicted, and we’ve known that such evictions would have a disproportionate impact on Black and brown and extremely low-income and historically marginalized people,” said NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel. 

The Hill discussed the wave of evictions that may come as the federal eviction moratorium expires July 24 at midnight. The article highlighted a series of bills, encompassing measures from the House-passed HEROES Act, that Senate Democrats are pushing to protect low-income renters.

The New York Times editorial board outlined the urgent need for Congress to take immediate steps to protect low-income renters and, in the coming months, to take action that will ensure every American has access to affordable housing.

MSNBC’s Ali Velshi explained the looming eviction crisis and why millions of Americans could be forced out of their home if Congress doesn’t intervene now.

The Lily examined the disproportionate impact evictions have on Black women, and how the pandemic is expected to exacerbate this disparity. 

Marketplace reported that across the country, rental assistance programs have been quickly overwhelmed by need. 

CNBC reported on the expiration of the federal eviction moratorium, the need for Congress to act swiftly, and what tenants can to do if they are worried about eviction.

The Washington Post discussed housing advocates’ calls for Congress to intervene to prevent a significant rise in evictions. The article highlighted the House-passed emergency rental assistance bill.

Matt Desmond of Princeton University’s Eviction Lab spoke with NPR’s “Morning Edition,” calling attention to the millions of Americans who are facing the threat of eviction as the federal eviction moratorium is set to expire July 24.

Shelterforce spoke with advocates, researchers, lawyers, and other experts to discuss how an eviction crisis would impact evicted individuals and their families, shelter systems, public health, and the rental housing market.

The COVID-19 Eviction Defense Project estimates that between 19 million and 23 million renter households are at risk of eviction by September 30, 2020. The data indicate that both geography and discrimination play significant roles.

An op-ed in the Hill made the case that dramatic federal intervention is needed to ensure that the public health crisis is not exacerbated by an eviction crisis. Failing to act will exacerbate the public health crisis and the racial justice crisis in housing.

The Appeal examined how our country’s flawed legal system will exacerbate the impending evictions cliff. COVID-19 is placing Black and Latinx people at a disproportionately higher risk of eviction, fueling our existing housing crisis.

The Los Angeles Times examined how the coronavirus pandemic is worsening Black Americans’ housing crisis. Across the United States, Black people faced the greatest housing insecurity before COVID-19, and now, along with Latino workers, they face the greatest job losses.

Updated on July 28, 2020.

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NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel joined Vox’s “Today, Explained” podcast to discuss the current situation for low-income renters in the United States, the urgency of enacting emergency housing provisions to keep families stably housed during the pandemic, and the long-term investments needed to end our country’s affordable housing crisis.

NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel and Executive Director of the New York Housing Conference Rachel Fee coauthored an op-ed in the New York Daily News, urging Congress to take immediate action to protect renters impacted by the current health and economic crisis.

HuffPost wrote an article highlighting findings from NLIHC’s Out of Reach 2020 report. “What the report shows us is just how steep of an affordable challenge low-income renters had even before the coronavirus. And it highlights the tremendous challenges that these same low-income renters face now during the coronavirus and its financial fallout,” said NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel.

NBC reported on the impending tsunami of evictions that would exacerbate already high homeless rates across the country. “Before the coronavirus even came to our country, we were in a housing crisis and had a shortage of seven million homes available to low-income renters. The longer the crisis, the deeper in the hole they fall,” said NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel.

CNBC reported on NLIHC’s Out of Reach 2020 report findings, discussing the relevance of its findings in terms of the coronavirus pandemic and economic fallout. The article highlights NLIHC’s policy priorities, including significant investments in affordable housing and emergency rental assistance.

Law360 reports on the wave of evictions that is already happening across the country as federal coronavirus relief resources and protections expire. “In fact, the wave has already begun - evictions are happening now, and they’re happening in states where new coronavirus cases are surging,” said NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel.

Yahoo! News reported on housing experts’ concerns that millions of Americans will lose their homes amid the pandemic in the coming months if Congress fails to act. “Congress must step up now to provide relief to keep renters and homeowners in their homes and make sure that we don’t emerge from this crisis with greater racial and economic disparities than we had before,” said Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH).

The Wall Street Journal discussed the looming eviction crisis as the federal eviction moratorium and supplemental unemployment benefits expire at the end of July. House Democrats voted in May to expand the eviction moratorium, provide $100 billion in rental assistance, and other critical resources. The article stated that Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID), chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, declined to comment on any Republican plan to ensure families are stably housed during and after the pandemic.

An op-ed in Bloomberg outlined the urgent need for a widespread, longer-lasting eviction moratorium and emergency rental assistance. The author argued that the impending wave of evictions would be both a humanitarian disaster and an economic crisis.

An article in Popular Science examined why a potential wave of mass evictions would compound this year’s turbulent hurricane season. Communities across the country could soon face the dangerous confluence of COVID-19, mass evictions, a dangerous hurricane season.

Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) spoke about how the coronavirus pandemic and economic fallout will exacerbate our nation’s affordable housing crisis and how this will disproportionately harm Black and brown people on the Appeal’s “The Briefing” on July 14. Watch the episode here.

Habitat for Humanity International on July 15 held a discussion on housing stability during the COVID-19 pandemic. The special guests included Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) and former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julian Castro. Watch the discussion here.

Like the 2008 crisis, the United States is facing another wave of mass displacement due to the coronavirus pandemic, and there is still no federal database to track evictions and foreclosures. Without a federal system to track foreclosures and evictions, we will never know the full scope of the pandemic’s impact on the housing crisis.

Updated on July 20, 2020.

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NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel wrote an op-ed in Barron’s discussing the impending eviction crisis and the disproportionate impact it will have on people of color. The piece urges that immediate federal action, including a uniform national eviction moratorium and at least $100 billion in emergency rental assistance, can prevent the imminent influx of evictions and their harmful outcomes. 

Newsweek discussed the upcoming wave of evictions that could force people into homelessness and exacerbate the spread of COVID-19. “The confluence of increasing evictions in communities with surging coronavirus is deeply worrying and threatens tremendous harm to families and communities,” said NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel.

CNBC reported on a potential surge in evictions and increase in homelessness as eviction moratoriums expire later this month. “State and local eviction moratoriums are expiring rapidly, and courts are beginning to address the backlog and new eviction cases. And they’re putting people out of their homes in the middle of a pandemic, and in places where COVID-19 is ranging out of control,” said NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel.

The Washington Post examined why evictions are likely to skyrocket this summer and the disproportionate impact this will have on Black renters. Evictions are also starting to increase in areas where coronavirus infections have recently spiked. “That wave [of evictions] has already begun. We are trying to prevent it from becoming a tsunami,” said NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel.

Yahoo! Money reported on the concerns of housing advocates and legal aid groups as cities suspend eviction moratoriums. “We’re seeing now a really frankly horrifying confluence of increasing evictions in states where new coronavirus cases are surging. We’re running out of time. The stakes couldn’t be higher right now, and every day of inaction is putting more low income people at risk of losing their homes,” said NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel. 

Next City examined the urgent need for federal intervention to prevent a wave of evictions and an increase in homelessness. NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel discussed the states that have allowed their eviction moratoriums to expire and explained why Congress is “running out of time” to take action that will minimize the damage.

Vox examined America’s looming housing catastrophe, highlighting that the pandemic didn’t create the housing crisis, but it has exposed what already existed. “Until we solve that underlying shortage of homes affordable and available to the lowest-income people, then we’re going to face the same crisis during the next pandemic or the next wave of this pandemic or the next natural disaster next year. Because this is a crisis on top of a multi-year, already existing affordable housing crisis,” said NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel.

NBC News discussed housing advocates’ fears that the United States will experience a rise in homelessness as the federal eviction moratorium and patchwork of state moratoriums quickly expire. 

The New York Times reported that immigrant and renter advocates across the country are being inundated with complaints about landlords using illegal tactics to pressure vulnerable tenants to pay rent or force them out of their homes.

Politico created an interactive map using data from the Urban Institute about pre-pandemic rent cost burdens and how COVID-19 has impacted America’s rental crisis. 

NPR interviewed Emily Benfer, co-creator of the Eviction Lab COVID-19 Housing Policy Scorecard and director of the Health Justice Advocacy Clinic at Columbia Law School, about what actions government officials must take to avoid a housing crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic. 

The New York Times reported on new federal data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that reveals that Black and Latino people have been disproportionately impacted by the coronavirus across the country, throughout hundreds of counties in urban, suburban, and rural areas, and across all age groups. The data also shows pockets of disparity involving Native American people.

CNBC spoke with Emily Benfer, co-creator of the Eviction Lab COVID-19 Housing Policy Scorecard and director of the Health Justice Advocacy Clinic at Columbia Law School, about the looming eviction crisis and the urgent actions the United States must take to prevent an estimated 20 million to 28 million people from being evicted.

Dwell magazine examined how the expiration of state and local eviction moratoriums across the country may lead to a surge in evictions and foreclosures.

An article in Forbes argues that the federal government has the financial resources to extend critical financial assistance and keep families stably housed. 

CNBC Make It reports that almost one-third of households have not made their full housing payments for July yet, marking the fourth month in a row that a historically high number of households were unable to pay. According to a survey by Apartment List, approximately 19% of American households made no housing payment during the first week of the month, and 13% paid only a portion of their rent or mortgage. The results indicate that renters are especially vulnerable, with about 36% of renters missing their July housing bill, compared to 30% of homeowners. 

Updated on July 13, 2020.

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As coronavirus housing protections expire, experts and advocates warn of an eviction tsunami. The surge of evictions has already begun in cities and states that have resumed evictions, and in some cases, these are locations that are also seeing sharp increases in coronavirus cases. “Without a significant federal intervention, there will be a wave of evictions and a spike in homelessness across the country. Our work now is to prevent it from becoming a tsunami and we’re running out of time,” said NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel.

CNBC reported on a potential surge in evictions and increase in homelessness as eviction moratoriums expire later this month. “State and local eviction moratoriums are expiring rapidly and courts are beginning to address the backlog and new eviction cases. And they’re putting people out of their homes in the middle of a pandemic, and in places where COVID-19 is ranging out of control,” said NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel.

The Washington Post examined why evictions are likely to skyrocket this summer and the disproportionate impact this will have on Black renters. Evictions are also starting to increase in areas where coronavirus infections have recently spiked. “That wave [of evictions] has already begun. We are trying to prevent it from becoming a tsunami,” said NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel.

Buzzfeed News outlines steps that tenants can take if their landlord attempts to evict them during the crisis, citing advice from NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel and other housing experts.

“We’re about to face this perfect storm for people of color in this country in a few weeks when we have a wave of evictions dealing with the pandemic and its effects that have already hit communities of color and low-income communities the hardest,” said former Housing and Urban Development Secretary and former presidential candidate Julian Castro in an interview in the Atlantic.

Last Week with John Oliver addressed the looming eviction crisis on last night’s episode. Their team spoke with NLIHC and many other housing advocates and experts to develop the episode. Watch the clip here. Read an article about the episode in Deadline Hollywood.

The Tennessean reported on the looming eviction crisis as eviction moratoriums expire. Tennessee was among the 24 states that allowed eviction proceedings to resume this month. On June 24, Bedford County residents planned a courthouse vigil for 62 renters who are now facing eviction. “We are very concerned about a wave of evictions and a spike in homelessness unless there’s some sort of federal intervention,” said NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel.

NBC News discussed housing advocates’ fears that the United States will experience a rise in homelessness as the federal eviction moratorium and patchwork of state moratoriums quickly expire.

The New York Times reported that immigrant and renter advocates across the country are being inundated with complaints about landlords using illegal tactics to pressure vulnerable tenants to pay rent or force them out of their homes.

Politico created an interactive map using data from the Urban Institute about pre-pandemic rent cost burdens and how COVID-19 has impacted America’s rental crisis.

NPR interviewed Emily Benfer, co-creator of the Eviction Lab COVID-19 Housing Policy Scorecard and director of the Health Justice Advocacy Clinic at Columbia Law School, about what actions government officials must take to avoid a housing crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Vox examines how the pandemic is exposing our country’s housing crisis and discusses legislation introduced by Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Representatives Jesus “Chuy” Garcia (D-IL) and Barbara Lee (D-CA) that would enact a nationwide eviction moratorium. “Renters who have lost their job or had their income reduced shouldn’t have to fear losing their homes in the middle of a pandemic. Housing is a human right and an absolute necessity to keep families safe during this crisis, and Congress must step in now to help keep people in their homes,” said Senator Warren.

Reuters examines how pandemic prison releases have contributed to a severe need for housing at a time when overstretched shelter systems are working to accommodate residents while maintaining social distancing guidelines.

Axios discusses the legislation Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) introduced on June 29, which would extend and expand a nationwide eviction moratorium.

The Boston Globe reported on Senator Elizabeth Warren’s (D-MA) bill that would extend and expand the nationwide eviction moratorium. “This economic crisis is also a housing crisis. We need some short-term, emergency solutions to make sure families can stay in their homes,” said Senator Warren on NLIHC’s national call on coronavirus, housing, and homelessness.

The Hill reports on how millions of tenants are at risk of eviction in late July as the federal eviction moratorium and supplemental unemployment benefits expire this month. Despite Democrats’ efforts to immediately enact a coronavirus relief package, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has vowed not to move the House-passed HEROES Act.

Lisa Rice, president and CEO of the National Fair Housing Alliance, spoke with Marketplace about the threat of mass evictions as moratoriums expire. Evictions may disproportionately impact Black and Latino households, who are twice as likely to be renters as white households.

The Progressive discusses the looming surge of evictions as moratoriums expire across the county. By early July, thirty states are expected to begin eviction proceedings.

Next City examines New York City’s effort to move people experiencing homelessness into hotels and discusses how advocates from seven different nonprofits are collaborating on the “Homeless Can’t Stay Home” campaign.

Shelterforce spoke with six regional and state housing advocates, including NLIHC state partners and board members, about the connections among racial equity, housing, and the pandemic.

Updated on July 7, 2020.

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National Journal examined advocates’ concerns that homelessness will surge across the country unless Congress takes immediate action. “What we’re seeing now is a crisis on top of a crisis. We had an affordable housing crisis in our country before COVID-19, and we will have it after COVID-19,” said NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel.

“Now the federal protection on some evictions runs out in late July. And unemployment benefits are going to run out. What we have to do about it is, number one, pass the HEROES Act, which has $100 billion in direct rental assistance,” said former Housing and Urban Development Secretary and former presidential candidate Julián Castro in an interview with Politico.

NPR reported that at least a dozen cities have ignored recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in recent months by continuing to sweep homeless encampments, risking further spread of the coronavirus.

Shelterforce examined how housing advocates and tenant organizing groups are preparing for the surge of evictions as moratoriums start to lift and housing court processes resume.

Bloomberg CityLab explores how the Franklin County Municipal Court has converted the empty Columbus Convention Center into a housing court. The housing court now occupies a space that is at least four times as large as its space in the courthouse. The Greater Columbus Convention Center can also accommodate housing and legal aid organizations.

The New York Times examines the predicted surge of eviction cases in New York City as housing courts reopen. Housing advocates estimate that 50,000 to 60,000 cases could be filed in New York City’s housing courts in the coming days. 

An op-ed in the Hill written by Samantha Batko and Mychal Cohen of the Urban Institute warns of a looming eviction crisis as eviction moratoriums and supplemental unemployment benefits come to an end. 

Next City discussed the Eviction Lab’s new eviction tracking system.

Updated on June 29, 2020.

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USA Today examines that although near-record unemployment rates and deep financial hardship persist, CARES Act relief funding is set to expire soon. “Back rent is coming due, and renters are no more able to pay it now than they were at the beginning of the crisis,” says NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel.

Emily Benfer, director of the Health Justice Advocacy Clinic at Columbia Law School, wrote an op-ed in NBC News about the wave of evictions that will sweep the country as the patchwork of temporary eviction moratoriums quickly expire. 

NBC News reports that some landlords are using threats and harassment - “self-help” tactics - to force tenants out of their homes during the coronavirus pandemic. While there isn’t yet data on renters facing self-help evictions during COVID-19, according to National Fair Housing Alliance President and CEO Lisa Rice, people of color and single-women households are more likely to face these forms of abusive evictions when there isn’t a pandemic.

The New York Times reported that nursing homes across the country are evicting vulnerable residents and directing them to homeless shelters, motels, and other unsafe facilities.

The COVID-19 Eviction Defense Project estimates that 19-23 million, or one in five of the 110 million Americans who rent, are at risk of eviction by the end of September. Data indicates that geography and discrimination play significant roles in eviction rates.

BBC News examined why advocates and experts are expecting an unprecedented crush of evictions in approaching, placing millions of Americans at risk of homelessness.

Tenant advocates report that some landlords’ rent-collection practices across the Washington region during COVID-19 have crossed the line into bullying, with some landlords using more aggressive tactics. Advocates are concerned about a deluge of evictions once courts reopen.

A new report found that the coronavirus has exacerbated food and housing insecurity among students in higher education, with nearly three in five college students experiencing some type of basic needs insecurity during the pandemic. The study also found significant racial disparities: while about half of white students experienced at least one kind of basic needs insecurity during COVID-19, 71% of Black students and 65% of Latino students.

An article in the Washington Post examines how the coronavirus pandemic may further widen racial disparities in housing, highlighting a new Urban Institute report that analyzes how economic crises and sudden disasters increase racial disparities in homeownership.

While the pandemic has prompted most states and federal officials to establish eviction moratoriums, some tenants who are unable to pay rent due to COVID-19 are experiencing harassment and threats of eviction. 

NPR reported on zoom-eviction hearings, discussing that at a remote eviction hearing this week in Collin County, Texas, the court granted landlords the right to evict five people who did not or were unable to dial into the Zoom call.

In a Letter to the Editor in the Boston Globe, the author urges that housing is an issue of racial and economic justice and calls attention to housing policies that stand in the way of racial equity. “If we truly believe that Black Lives Matter, we cannot ignore our fight for housing for all,” said Beyazmin Jimenez.

Updated on June 22, 2020.

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Politico reported on the threat of evictions as the federal moratorium on evictions and supplemental unemployment benefits expire, discussing the disproportionate impact this will have on Black Americans. “Unless Congress intervenes soon, the coming tsunami of evictions and homelessness will disproportionately harm black and brown people,” said NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel.

CNBC discusses experts’ concerns about a housing ‘apocalypse’ in the coming months. “Now more than ever, housing is health care. Ensuring housing stability for all is both a moral imperative and a public health necessity,” said NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel in a statement to CNBC Make It.

USA Today highlights advocates’ concerns that the United States will face a surge of evictions and a spike in homelessness if Congress does not intervene. “Even before COVID, we were in the middle of a severe housing crisis. We had eight million of our lowest-income renter households spending at least half of their income on rent. And when you have such limited income to begin with, you’re always one financial emergency away from not being able to pay the rent. COVID is that emergency,” said NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel.

An article in Grow discusses how millions of people are struggling to pay rent due to loss of unemployment as a result of COVID-19. “People are really struggling. Even before the pandemic, we had a shortage of 7 million homes for low-income people,” said NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel.

An article in Forbes discussing housing inequality and racism in the United States quoted House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s comments during NLIHC’s national call on June 2. “Housing security is a matter of justice, as structural racism puts communities of color unfairly at risk of being rent burdened or homeless,” said Speaker Pelosi. The piece outlines a brief history of racial discrimination in U.S. housing policies.

A piece in the Washington Post discusses the pandemic’s impact on a family of four who is living in their car after having to leave their home and running out of money for a motel room.

The Wall Street Journal examines the impact of the coronavirus on large, multigenerational homes. The virus has spread more widely in areas with the most crowded households, not necessarily areas with the densest or largest populations. 

Forbes reported on the Housing Subcommittee on Housing, Community Development, and Insurance virtual hearing on June 10, discussing how the hearing elevated the need for $100 billion in emergency rental assistance.

While overall June rent payments are encouraging according to the National Multifamily Housing Council’s tracker, Real Page reports meaningful deterioration in the ability to afford rent among lower-income households. 

Stateline examines how COVID-19 is forcing local governments to make challenging decisions about rental assistance, including how to prioritize funds given the overwhelming and unprecedented need for assistance that far exceeds the supply. The articles cite NLIHC’s research note on emergency rental assistance needs.

An article in Vox highlights that although overall unemployment rates dropped in May, the unemployment rate for Black Americans increased slightly. The article also discusses how the same structural racism that enables police brutality against Black Americans is also responsible for the pandemic’s disproportionate impact on Black people’s health and economic well-being.

CNN Business discusses the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on Black and Latino renters and homeowners. The pandemic is exacerbating longstanding racial disparities in health, jobs, and housing.

A BuzzFeed News article discusses the economic catastrophe that will come in August as the federal eviction and foreclosure moratoriums and the supplemental unemployment insurance benefits expire at the end of July.

The Wall Street Journal discusses a recent report from Coalition for the Homeless, an NLIHC state partner, that found that the coronavirus is disproportionately impacting people experiencing homelessness in New York City. Advocates are calling on New York City and state officials to better protect people experiencing homelessness.

The Los Angeles Times examines the pandemic’s impact on farmworkers, many of whom are unable to practice social distancing at job sites and home due to overcrowded housing situations.

An Op-Ed in the Philadelphia Inquirer argues that our country finds resources to house people experiencing homelessness only when they pose a public health threat, but homelessness is a public health crisis and should be addressed with the same urgency.

An article in Nonprofit Quarterly examines the impending eviction crisis. “Small landlords and renters depend on each other, and both need emergency assistance to stay afloat during this time,” said NLIHC CEO and President Diane Yentel.

NPR discusses how millions of Americans are struggling to pay their rent, mortgage, auto loans, and other critical bills. Federal relief has kept impending financial disasters at bay for now, but a tidal wave of evictions and defaults looms.

The Washington Post posted an article answering frequently asked questions that renters and homeowners have about eviction and foreclosure moratoriums.

An article in Forbes examines how the enhanced unemployment benefit of $600 per week is critical to helping people in lower-paying jobs afford their rental payments. The HEROES Act would extend the $600 per week supplement until next year and provide $100 billion in emergency rental assistance for low-income tenants.

The Houston Chronicle reports that renters and mortgage holders are often unaware of federal aid packages.

CNN reports that a surge of evictions looms as state eviction moratoriums expire. While some states are establishing rental assistance programs, significant federal rental assistance is needed to prevent a housing crisis for renters and property owners.

An article in Foreign Policy examines whether hotels are the solution to the United States’ housing and homelessness crisis.

Yahoo! News examines how the coronavirus pandemic highlights housing inequality faced by Black Americans. Black communities are disproportionately impacted by the virus itself and by the economic fallout, and job losses from COVID-19 risk exacerbating housing inequities.

An article in the Nation discusses how cities across the county have established rental assistance programs using a mix of federal, state, and local funding, and in nearly every instance, the need for assistance has significantly overwhelmed the supply. The article discusses the $100 billion in emergency rental assistance included in the HEROES Act.

A piece in Quartz discusses how COVID-19 has upended Florida’s long and slow recovery from the 2018 hurricane season. The article examines how Bay County’s recovery from Hurricane Michael demonstrates how natural disasters often leave low-income communities exposed to a range of compounding impacts.

Updated on June 12, 2020.

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The New York Times reports that there are troubling signs that renters are increasingly struggling to come up with their rent payments, which creates significant challenges for both tenants and landlords. “Small landlords and renters depend on each other, and both need emergency assistance to stay afloat during this time,” said NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel.

USA Today spoke with policy associates at the Urban Institute about the estimated 10 million people across the country who are entitled to federal stimulus checks but have not found a way to access the money. People in this hard-to-reach category do not make enough money to file a tax return and do not receive federal benefits, so the government has no contact information for them. 

More than a dozen states have allowed eviction proceedings to resume, and by the beginning of June, more than half of states will have no tenant protections in place. Without an additional federal stimulus package that includes critical housing provisions, the United States will experience a sharp increase in housing instability and homelessness. 

An article in CityLab examines how the expiration of state eviction moratoriums has revealed the limits of tenant protections at the local, state, and federal level. The moratoriums are expiring before federal interventions are in place, and without immediate action, the United States will be facing a housing crisis of unprecedented scope.

The Hill explores why many tenants and housing advocates fear mass evictions in the coming weeks as moratoriums across the country expire. Landlords in most states have still been able to file eviction notices, which means that some tenants may be forced to leave their homes as soon as their state’s eviction order expires.

An article in Vox discusses the urgent need for the United States to properly plan for the threat of hurricanes combined with COVID-19. This year’s hurricane season is predicted to be more active than usual and given indications that the pandemic will continue into the hurricane season, which starts on June 1, the United States needs to prepare now. The article calls attention to issues of equity, urging the need for response organizations to support the lowest-income and most marginalized communities that have greater needs and fewer resources.

Next City examines the looming eviction crisis, concerns about New York affordable housing projects, and San Antonio’s COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program.

Zego, a credit card payment processor, reported a 31% increase month-over-month in credit card rent payments from March to April and an additional 20% increase from April to May. A shortage of cash as a result of the pandemic may have forced tenants to rely on credit cards to pay their rent two months in a row.

The New York Times discusses how the economic fallout as a result of COVID-19 will be particularly devastating for renters, who are more likely to have lower incomes and work hourly jobs that were cut during the pandemic. The United States is facing a surge of evictions as eviction moratoriums and federal relief payments expire.

A Health Affairs article outlines the steps that the government must take to stop the spread of the coronavirus and establish a safe and accessible network of short-term housing options for people experiencing homelessness. The authors discuss the role of housing and overcrowding in driving the pandemic globally. 

A piece in the New York Times Magazine examines the pandemic’s devastating impact on Black Americans, particularly families who were already stretched to the limit.

An op-ed in the Miami Herald examines the devastating impact of the coronavirus on people experiencing homelessness and contends that criminalizing homelessness violates fundamental human rights, is ineffective, and has dire public health consequences. The authors urge that we must provide immediate housing in hotels for people experiencing homelessness in the short-term and use state and federal stimulus funding to close the housing gap.

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According to the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, more than 1 million New England households are at risk of missing their rent or mortgage payment due to coronavirus-related job loss.  

CNN Business examined how San Francisco’s sanctioned encampments, or “Safe Sleeping Sites,” have sparked debates among residents and lawmakers. Many San Francisco residents have submitted letters of opposition, and Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) wrote a letter to the Board of Supervisors arguing that there are other suitable housing alternatives.

Vox outlined seven proposals that Congress should consider for the next stimulus package to help people navigate the economic fallout from the pandemic, including mortgage and rent assistance. The article discusses the “Emergency Rental Assistance and Rental Market Stabilization Act” and the “Rent and Mortgage Cancellation Act.”

CNN Business examined how COVID-19 has made the United States’ existing housing crisis worse. The affordable housing crisis existed before the pandemic, but COVID-19 has drawn attention to housing instability and homelessness.
While a National Multifamily Housing Council report last week found that just 12% of tenants at the 11.4 million market-rate properties it tracks did not make their rent payment, a survey by landlord trade group Community Housing Improvement Program found that about 25% of New York City apartment tenants did not pay their May rent. 

An article in the Guardian examined how the coronavirus pandemic is impacting people experiencing homelessness in San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood. COVID-19, and San Francisco’s homeless policies during the pandemic, have created a perfect storm within the Tenderloin’s 35 blocks.

City Lab explores the lessons that the coronavirus pandemic can teach us about homelessness solutions. Solutions that were once deemed implausible are being enacted to expand capacity and provide safe shelter for people experiencing homelessness. Analyzing which of these temporary solutions have been effective will allow us to work toward permanent solutions to homelessness.

A Health Affairs blog discussed the need to protect people living in temporary living facilities, such as motels and sober living homes, who often face unstable incomes and limited housing protections. 

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NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel and Utah Housing Coalition Executive Director Tara Rollins penned an op-ed in the Deseret News urging Congress to take bold action to protect renters by including emergency rental assistance in the next coronavirus relief package. 

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An article in Mother Jones examined whether COVID-19 will compel San Francisco to confront the issue of homelessness. When asked if the coronavirus could, at last, force a reckoning with homelessness, NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel responded that “if this moment doesn’t, I’m not sure what would.”

Shelterforce examined the need for emergency rental assistance, citing NLIHC Vice President of Public Policy Sarah Saadian and including data from NLIHC’s research note. The article also provided an overview of the “Emergency Rental Assistance and Rental Market Stabilization Act.”

A New York Times opinion piece explored the notion that our housing crisis is a symptom of our country’s wealth and indifference. Congress could choose to make homelessness rare, brief, and nonrecurring. Our country has the resources to address the cause of homelessness: the shortage of affordable housing. 

Community Solutions explored a recent analysis conducted by Dr. Brendan O’Flaherty, an economics professor at Columbia University, which projects an increase in homelessness by 40-45% this year over January 2019. The analysis demonstrates the devastating impact that the pandemic will have on rates of homelessness. CNN also discussed the analysis.

In a New York Times op-ed, Carol Galante, the faculty director of the Terner Center for Housing Innovation, discussed how restrictive zoning blocks less-affluent families from opportunities that cities like Seattle, San Francisco, Boston, and New York offer.

An article in the Washington Post explores why the $100 billion for rental assistance that House Democrats included in their $3 trillion coronavirus relief bill might not be enough to address the country’s rental crisis.

A piece in the New Yorker examines how inaction by local and federal officials could result in a surge of evictions and foreclosures, triggering a new wave of infection and illness. The inadequate federal response does not mean that the federal government is unable to take action. 

Bloomberg Businessweek published a piece examining how both renters and property owners will suffer without a national rental market bailout. Across the country, landlords and tenants are struggling to cover next month’s rent, and an approaching wave of evictions threatens them both.

A Kaiser Health News analysis found that inadequate housing in the United States puts people at risk during the pandemic. Public health experts are concerned that people living in substandard housing will continue to suffer as the coronavirus and its accompanying economic crisis continue. 

Nan Roman, president and CEO of the National Alliance to End Homelessness, discussed the need for Congress to include critical housing and homelessness resources in the next coronavirus relief package in an op-ed in The Hill. She urged Congress to include $11.5 billion for homeless assistance, $100 billion in emergency rental assistance, long-term rental vouchers for elderly and severely disabled people experiencing homelessness, and significant investments in the national Housing Trust Fund.

Doctors Without Borders dispatched a team of doctors, nurses, logisticians, and water and sanitation experts to the Navajo Nation to help with the coronavirus crisis that is unfolding on the reservation. The high rates of infection and the fact that these communities suffer from chronic federal underfunding drove the decision to send a team to the Navajo Nation.

The Washington Post published an FAQ on rent strikes during the pandemic.
The Columbus Dispatch editorial board published a piece urging Congress to include emergency rental assistance in the next coronavirus relief package. Since eviction moratoriums are a short-term fix and rent deferment is not rent forgiveness, rental assistance is needed to keep tenants stably housed.

The Washington Post examined how job losses due to COVID-19 have fallen unequally on Americans according to age, race, gender, and educational attainment. Undocumented immigrants are facing significant challenges, including tremendous job loss and lack of access to the federal safety net, including housing and food assistance.

HuffPost reported that the Navajo Nation now has more known COVID-19 cases per capita than any state. At least 3,122 cases have been reported on Navajo Nation, which is the most populous American Indian reservation in the United States. Indigenous populations are particularly vulnerable to the coronavirus given their high rates of underlying conditions, poor housing conditions, and other significant risk factors.

CityLab examined why data released by the National Multifamily Housing Council does not provide the entire story about housing stability in the United States. While the data revealed that four out of five renters were able to pay their May rent, this data excludes the tens of millions of renters who live in subsidized rentals or single-family homes. 

Gretchen Sierra-Zorita, a founding member of the National Puerto Rican Agenda and member of the DHRC Puerto Rico Working Group, wrote an op-ed in The Hill urging the Senate to pass the Puerto Rico Earthquake Supplemental (H.R. 5687) or include it in the next coronavirus relief bill. The Earthquake Supplemental would provide $4.89 billion in emergency spending to fund a broad range of disaster recovery activities. Puerto Rico has been devastated by three consecutive disasters: Hurricane Maria, the 2020 earthquakes, and COVID-19.

Politico discussed the need for the federal government to develop a long-term plan to keep renters stably housed after the eviction moratoriums expire. Ignoring the looming rental crisis will cost more money in the long run and keep millions of renters from safely sheltering in place.

HuffPost examined how cities across the country have started to move people experiencing homelessness from shelters into larger spaces and hotels. The article cited NLIHC’s “Getting to Yes” document in its discussion of how states can request funds from FEMA to reimburse hotel rooms. 
According to an article in Nature, researchers are discovering that coronavirus outbreaks in shelters are spreading below the radar. Researchers are collecting data on the prevalence of COVID-19 and modeling its spread under different group living situations, hoping that this will guide policies to protect people residing in congregate living settings like shelters.
The Sightline Institute outlined six bills that Democrats have proposed to protect renters and workers in the next stimulus package, including the “Emergency Rental Assistance and Rental Market Stabilization Act” and the “Emergency Rent and Mortgage Cancellation Act.”
The Baltimore Sun editorial board examined why federal solutions to the housing crisis exacerbated by the pandemic must include assistance for both tenants and landlords.
An article in the Washington Post explored how the pandemic has demonstrated the need to treat housing as human right, not a commodity. Governments are responding by enacting measures like eviction moratoriums, rent caps, and assistance for people experiencing homelessness. These measures are steps in the right direction, but we need structural reforms to build a more just housing environment.
A Human Rights Watch article discusses how the measures that some governments have taken to acquire housing for people experiencing homelessness demonstrate what political will, resources, and a focus on both individual worth and collective good can achieve. These steps pave the way for longer-term solutions to eradicating homelessness.
The pandemic is revealing how easy it is to fall from the middle class and into poverty. For years, economists and advocates have warned that many Americans live paycheck to paycheck, and that even a slight downturn could devastate many lives.

Forbes discussed the “The Emergency Rental Assistance and Rental Market Stabilization Act” introduced by Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and its companion bill in the House of Representatives, sponsored by Representatives Maxine Waters (D-CA) and Denny Heck (D-WA).
 
E&E News examined the impact that a natural disaster would have on people experiencing homelessness amid the coronavirus pandemic. “An extreme weather event will affect [the homeless] in a much more impactful way than the population at large, and this year is going to be even worse with COVID-19,” said Eric Samuels, executive director of the Texas Homeless Network, an NLIHC state partner.
 
Nonprofit affordable housing providers are committed to not evicting their tenants, but they are hoping that relief comes soon to help them and their tenants.

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NLIHC President and CEO was quoted in a Washington Post article emphasizing the need for emergency rental assistance to ensure that renters remain stably housed after the moratoriums are lifted.

The Washington Post examined the traumatic experiences that people experiencing homelessness in New York City are facing amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Politico explored the pandemic’s potential impact on the racial wealth gap, highlighting racial disparities in homeownership. The article also discussed proposals from Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and House Financial Services Chairwoman Maxine Waters (D-CA) to include billions of dollars in rental assistance in the next relief package.

A group of Native American tribes is suing the Treasury Department for failing to distribute $8 billion in federal coronavirus relief that was allocated for tribes in the CARES Act. The Treasury Department missed its April 26 deadline to distribute the funds, which was 30 days after the CARES Act passed.

Many landlords are bracing for a wave of non-payments due to the pandemic.

Vox explored the impact of the coronavirus on rural America, discussing the uptick of outbreaks in certain areas and the factors that place rural communities at risk.

In an ABC News report, NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel urged Congress to include an additional $100 billion in rental assistance in the next coronavirus relief package to prevent evictions and avert a significant spike in homelessness and displacement after the moratoria expire.

The Washington Post used the Eviction Lab’s scorecard to examine state variations in eviction protections.

Real Change News explored that while America’s affordable housing and homelessness crises have been present long before the coronavirus, the pandemic is highlighting the need for a national housing justice movement that addresses systemic racism.

WBUR aired a segment exploring how many Americans continue to face housing insecurity despite eviction and foreclosure moratoria that some states have enacted.

USA Today reported on the relationship between COVID-19 and social determinants of health, including poverty and homelessness. 

The New York Daily News examined the new collaboration between New York City and the MTA to force people experiencing homelessness out of the subway system.

Politico reported that while Republican lawmakers are reluctant to pass another coronavirus relief package, economists from a range of ideological backgrounds are urging Congress to keep spending money to protect the economy.

An article in the Washington Post argued that some COVID-19 federal funding should be invested long-term in U.S. infrastructure, including affordable housing. The coronavirus pandemic has made it more evident that we need increased investment in affordable housing, which is a critical component of infrastructure.

NPR reported on the hurdles that families experience homelessness face in home-schooling their children.

Historian Jill Watts discussed how COVID-19 has exposed America’s affordable housing crisis and argues that the relief provided by New Deal housing programs is relevant to our current crisis.
 
The economic impact payments could be a great help for some people experiencing homelessness; however, the one-time assistance of $1,200 will not be enough for people to obtain housing in most markets with high rates of homelessness.
 
 The National League of Cities made the case for why emergency rental assistance is necessary and explained how cities can fund it.
 
An op-ed in Next City examined why COVID-19 homelessness responses must include hygiene and sanitation resources. Increasing access to public toilets, installing handwashing stations, and ensuring that shelters and service providers receive high priority for hand sanitizer and other sanitation supplies are essential to protecting people experiencing homelessness.
 
Isabel Solange Munoz, an assistant professor of geography at the University of Tennessee, explored how COVID-19 is exacerbating the nation’s housing crisis and how it will lead to greater inequality. Read the Business Insider article.

Former HUD Secretary and 2020 presidential candidate Julián Castro outlined his vision for the kinds of bold, systemic housing reforms needed to solve the housing affordability crisis and help prevent a housing catastrophe induced by COVID-19.
 
Despite federal ban, landlords are still moving to evict people during the pandemic. Landlords in at least four states have violated the eviction ban passed by Congress last month, ProPublica’s review of records shows, moving to throw more than a hundred people out of their homes.
 
Time Magazine also covers how renters are facing eviction despite moratoriums on evictions in more than 30 states and dozens of cities.
 
Homeless shelters across the country are facing volunteer shortages and increased operating costs as they find ways to respond to the deadly coronavirus outbreak while continuing to take in residents. 

VICE interviewed shelter workers across the country. Employees reported that they are understaffed, overworked, and lack the proper personal protective equipment. Staff members at shelters revealed that their workplaces were not adhering to CDC guidelines concerning social distancing space and protective gear.
 
CityLab examines the difference between how the federal government and cities across the country are addressing homelessness during the pandemic. While cities like New York and California are moving shelter residents to hotels, the Federal COVID-19 Homelessness Workgroup has given guidance to faith-based shelters on how to resist evacuating homeless people to hotel rooms.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation will be providing $50 million in immediate short-term relief to multiple national and community organizations working to help households and communities being harmed by the COVID-19 pandemic. NLIHC’s Disaster Housing Recovery Coalition is exceptionally thankful to be among the recipients.

“Even before COVID-19 came to this country we had a shortage of seven million homes affordable and available to the lowest income people...If we had a system in our country where we could catch people when they fell off of a financial cliff, we could better weather this disaster that we’re experiencing right now, but we don’t have that system.” said Diane Yentel, President and CEO of the National Low Income Housing Coalition in a recent news article by Fast Company. The article explores the critical link between health care and housing and the subsequent impact of COVID-19.  

PBS New Hour explored how people experiencing homelessness face unique challenges in protecting themselves and their communities from the coronavirus outbreak. 

There are unique challenges in protecting the South’s homeless population from COVID. The South is the nation's poorest region, with higher mortality rates and lower life expectancies than the rest of the country, and its residents are more likely to lack access to high-quality medical care — disparities that present an additional burden for the region's homeless. 

VICE looks at FEMA’s response to Hurricane Harvey as an example of how the American disaster relief system is broken. Low-income disaster survivors in Southeast Texas were denied assistance at a much higher rate than those of higher incomes – leading to an inadequate and unequal recovery.  

Early data from jurisdictions across the country found that the novel coronavirus appears to be affecting — and killing — black Americans at a disproportionately high rate compared to white Americans. A key factor: racial disparities in housing put black lives at much greater risk for contracting an illness.

The New York Times reports that Rents Are Late, and ‘It’s Only Going to Get Worse’. As the economic shutdown pares tenants’ incomes, April payments have been reduced, deferred or withheld. Some landlords see their property at risk.
 
The Washington Post published an article from Eviction Lab detailing their efforts to track how state and federal eviction laws are changing. They argue that temporary eviction bans will only create a massive wave of evictions when they are lifted.  

In an op-ed in The Hill, Colonel Rob Maness (USAF, Ret.) – executive director of Military Veterans Advocacy – sounds the alarm that the COVID-19 crisis could undue the successes achieved in decreasing veterans homelessness in recent years.

CNN is reporting that Pope Francis called out the world’s response to the coronavirus – saying that the homeless should be quarantined in hotels and not in parking lots – referencing a photo from Las Vegas where individuals experiencing homelessness were forced to sleep in a parking lot after the emergency closure of a shelter.  

VOX reported on a recent study showing that black and Hispanic Americans are dying from COVID-19 at a disproportionate rate compared to white people – the reason is complicated, involving housing, economic inequality, and access to medical care.

The Washington Post covered COVID-19’s impact on low income renters and what happens when a tenant is evicted during a pandemic. NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel was interviewed for the story.

Mother Jones interviewed NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel on the impact the COVID-19 pandemic is having on individuals experiencing homelessness and the shelters that serve them.

US News and World Report reported on last week’s DHRC conference call, detailing the challenges individuals experiencing homelessness and the housing insecure will experience during the pandemic.

The AP released analysis showing that the vast majority of American renters would not be assisted by HUD’s decision to pause evictions and foreclosures for a 60-day period.

Vox covered the threat to individuals experiencing homelessness posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The NYTimes covered the ongoing struggle to head off evictions due to the pandemic at the federal, state, and local level.

An article from the Brookings Institute covered ways in which homeless populations and individuals living in substandard or unaffordable housing are uniquely susceptible to an epidemic.

Popular Science released an article covering homelessness and vulnerability to COVID-19.

Wired is reporting that many individuals experiencing homelessness are turning to web forums for best practices to avoid COVID-19 infection.

Forbes covered the importance of housing the homeless in the age of COVID-19.

Essence covered warnings from the nation’s African American Mayors calling for a targeted approach to boost and sustain Black communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Connecticut Mirror reported on the vulnerability that Transgender Individuals have to COVID-19. According to recent research, 30% of those served at drop-in shelters, by outreach teams, and other housing programs identify as LGBTQ. NBC News also covered the subject – featuring interviews with LGBTQ individuals experiencing homelessness.

The Department of Treasury on February 22 released a revised FAQs for Emergency Rental Assistance. Treasury will continue to work with stakeholders to provide additional guidance and technical assistance.

Updated on March 01, 2021

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Treasury released a list of emergency rental assistance (ERA) program payments to states and eligible units of local governments.

Updated on February 17, 2021

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Treasury re-published in final form in the Federal Register on January 15 the guidance it previously posted on its website regarding the Coronavirus Relief Fund.

Updated on January 25, 2021

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The U.S. Department of the Treasury announced the launch of the $25 billion Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) established by the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021. See Treasury’s list of state and territory allocations for the ERAP.

Updated on January 15, 2021.

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Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin issued a statement on June 12 regarding the provision of Coronavirus Relief Fund dollars to Native American Tribes.

Updated on June 22, 2020.

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The U.S. Treasury Department and the U.S. Small Business Administration announced on May 28 that it is setting aside $10 billion of Round 2 funding for the Paycheck Protection Program to be lent exclusively by Community Development Financial Institutions.

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Treasury updated its “Coronavirus Relief Fund: Frequently Asked Questions” document on May 4. The new guidance permits state and local governments to use Coronavirus Relief Fund dollars on rental assistance to prevent evictions and homelessness.

Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin and Secretary of the Interior David L. Bernhardt issued a joint statement on May 5 regarding the distribution of Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) dollars to Native American Tribes. According to the statement, only $4.8 billion, or 60% of the CRF, will be made available to Tribal governments based on population data.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced it will extend existing moratoriums on evictions and foreclosures and VA loan forbearance requests to June 30.

Updated on March 01, 2021

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The Veterans Employment Rideshare Initiative (Rideshare), launched in 2018, helps veterans experiencing homelessness get to job interviews, attend medical appointments, and search for housing opportunities. The Rideshare program has been adapted to help veterans experiencing homelessness during COVID-19 by providing transportation to hotel shelters and delivering food. Fifteen veterans have received Rideshares to move to hotel shelters.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced on May 6 that it has expanded support services enabled by the CARES Act to address the immediate needs of veterans experiencing or at risk of homelessness due to the pandemic. Funding is provided for three VA programs: Supportive Services for Veteran Families Program, Grant and Per Diem (GPD) Program, and Health Care for Homeless Veterans Program.

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The VA is strongly encouraging holders of veterans loans to abstain from initiating foreclosure proceedings during the COVID-19 pandemic

HHS Secretary Alex Azar on July 23 renewed the COVID-19 national public health emergency declaration, effective July 25.

Updated on July 28, 2020.

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The Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration on Children and Families released strategies for supporting families experiencing homelessness and housing instability during the pandemic.

Updated on June 29, 2020.

The National Homelessness Law Center (NHLC) created a fact sheet on taking advantage of FEMA’s 100% reimbursement for housing people experiencing homelessness in hotels. NHLC recommends that states and localities house people experiencing homelessness in hotels, motels, and/or RVs for the duration of the pandemic, and they provide examples of state and local efforts to do so on their COVID-19 protections for homeless populations webpage.

The National Consumer Law Center released a Guide for Advocates to Recent Federal COVID-19 Relief to Help Consumers Pay for Essential Energy, Water, and Broadband Service.

Updated on March 31, 2021

The National Consumer Law Center released a new 50-state report analyzing statewide protections against utility shut-offs of households where someone is seriously ill. The report finds that most states can improve their protections. Download the report and appendices, including each state’s rules and recommendations for crafting a strong rule at http://bit.ly/ill-consumer-utility

The National Health Care for the Homeless Council (NHCHC) is circulating a sign on letter to governors and state and local health authorities calling on officials to give COVID-19 vaccine priority status to people experiencing homelessness, especially individuals living in shelters, encampments, and other congregate settings. Read the full letter and sign on.

Updated on March 01, 2021

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Human Rights Watch released an FAQ document on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on tenants’ right to housing and the current state of pandemic-related tenant protections in the U.S. The FAQ highlights NLIHC’s research on the looming eviction crisis and the need for emergency rental assistance.

A new study from the National Bureau of Economic Research finds that eviction moratoriums reduce COVID-19 infections by 3.8% and deaths by 11%. Moratoriums on utility disconnections reduce COVID-19 infections by 4.4% and mortality rates by 7.4%.

Truthout reports that tenant organizing has exploded across the country in response to the COVID-19 housing crisis. A growing collection of organizers are approaching eviction prevention as a community-based solution to the impending eviction crisis.

The Legal Services Corporation (LSC) released a research brief, the first in a yearlong study on the eviction crisis in the U.S. The brief provides an overview of the legal eviction process through the view of a single jurisdiction: Shelby County, Tennessee. LSC will soon release another brief examining the effects of pandemic and eviction moratoriums at the state and local level. Learn more about the nationwide LSC eviction study.

Updated on February 01, 2021

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A new paper published in the Journal of Urban Health examines the relationship among eviction, housing instability, healthy inequity, and COVID-19 transmission. The paper finds that eviction is likely to increase COVID-19 infection rates, and pandemic policies, including eviction moratoriums and other supportive measures, are key components of mitigating COVID-19 spread and death.

A new research study finds that lifting state eviction moratoriums was associated with significant increases in COVID-19 incidence and mortality. Lifting state eviction moratoriums amounted to an estimated 433,700 excess cases of COVID-19 and 10,700 additional deaths in the U.S. between March and September.

Updated on December 9, 2020

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Twenty-four medical and public health groups and experts submitted an amici curiae brief in Brown v. Azar in support of the CDC eviction moratorium.

Updated on October 19, 2020

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Partners leading the work on the Framework for an Equitable COVID-19 Homelessness Response released a new video on prioritizing CARES Act funding within communities’ COVID-19 homelessness responses. Peggy Bailey, vice president for housing policy at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, joins Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett to discuss how the city has worked to prioritize CARES Act funding as part of its COVID-19 homelessness.

Updated on October 14, 2020

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The National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH) released a third report as part of its series on homeless system responses during COVID-19.

Updated on October 5, 2020

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A blog post from the Brookings Institute discusses why federal rental assistance, in addition to the national eviction moratorium, is needed to protect the long-term housing of tenants and small landlords.

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities reports that new Census data show the wide gap between median renter income and median rent continued through 2019, highlighting that the housing affordability crisis existed before COVID-19. Policymakers must provide emergency rental assistance to help families struggling to pay rent in the current crisis and address the underlying affordability problem.

Invisible People outlines what renters should do if they receive an eviction notice. The post includes a link to NLIHC’s state and local rental assistance database.

Updated on September 29, 2020

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NLIHC Vice President of Public Policy Sarah Saadian and Gillian Branstetter of the National Women’s Law Center penned an op-ed in the Appeal about the Trump administration’s efforts to enact a rule change that would allow homeless shelters to discriminate on the basis of gender identity or expression. “The timing of this proposed rollback is especially egregious, as COVID-19 is continuing to wreak havoc on the nation’s health and economic systems,” writes Sarah and Gillian. “If trans people cannot access shelter and services, it will become much harder for them to get the resources they need to stay safe and socially distance during this public health emergency.”

Updated on September 22, 2020

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American Bar Association President Patricia Lee Refo sent a letter on September 5 to congressional leadership, calling for immediate action to extend the federal moratorium on evictions and to provide rental and mortgage assistance. “The moratorium is only a temporary and incomplete remedy,” writes Refo. “Federal rental assistance also is necessary to address the mounting rental debt and landlord expenses.” 

Updated on September 15, 2020.

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The NLIHC-led Disaster Housing Recovery Coalition will continue to push for a broad array of resources and protections, including emergency rental assistance and eviction prevention assistance, a national moratorium on evictions and foreclosures, and emergency funds for homelessness service providers, housing authorities, and housing providers, among other recommendations. For more information, see DHRC’s full list of recommendations. 

Princeton University’s Eviction Lab found that in Cincinnati, Houston, and Phoenix, a nontrivial share of evictions initiated during the COVID-19 pandemic have been for relatively small sums of money. Learn about the Eviction Lab’s preliminary analysis here. 

Amanda Andere, CEO of Funders Together to End Homelessness, and Jeanne Feake-Sellassie, project director of Funders for Housing and Opportunity released a statement on the September 1 CDC eviction moratorium notice: “Philanthropy Cannot Be Expected to ‘Fill the Gap’ in Rental Assistance Need Caused by Lack of Government Support.” 

The Kentucky Equal Justice Center created a tool to help renters generate and send the declaration the CDC requires for tenants to be protected from eviction. 

Updated on September 10, 2020.

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The NLIHC-led Disaster Housing Recovery Coalition will continue to push for a broad array of resources and protections, including emergency rental assistance and eviction prevention assistance, a national moratorium on evictions and foreclosures, and emergency funds for homelessness service providers, housing authorities, and housing providers, among other recommendations. For more information, see DHRC’s full list of recommendations.

NLIHC and the National Housing Law Project sent letters on August 21 to HUD, the Treasury Department, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), urging the agencies to use their existing authority to prevent evictions among renters living in federally assisted properties.

Updated on September 2, 2020.

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The Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) released a white paper examining how community organizations can support equitable recovery and resilience efforts when responding to increasingly frequent and severe natural disasters. Among other policy recommendations, LISC proposes permanently authorizing the Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program, a policy recommendation supported by the DHRC.

Updated on August 25, 2020.

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NLIHC joined Community Catalyst, the Food Research & Action Center, and the Service Employees International Union in a joint letter to congressional leadership, urging Congress and the president to pass a coronavirus relief package that mitigates the devastation that millions of families, particularly Black and brown families, face due to the dual health and economic impacts of COVID-19.

Updated on August 19, 2020.

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The American Bar Association passed a resolution urging federal, state, local, territorial, and tribal governments to prevent an eviction crisis, housing insecurity among renters, and destabilization of the housing market by providing rental assistance and excluding COVID-19-related evictions from tenant screening practices.

Updated on August 11, 2020.

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The Opportunity Starts at Home campaign released a statement on the Senate Republican’s proposed relief package. 

NLIHC Vice President of Public Policy Sarah Saadian joined Shamus Roller, executive director of the National Housing Law Project, and Representatives Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and Joe Kennedy III (D-MA) for a Facebook Live discussion on what actions are needed to prevent a wave of evictions.

The Terner Center partnered with the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals to conduct a survey of its membership, which disproportionately owns or manages small, often more affordable rental properties. The survey findings highlight the impact of the pandemic on small landlords. The majority of respondents - more than 80% of who own or manage buildings with fewer than 20 units - reported a decrease in their rental income compared to the first quarter of the year. One in four landlords have already borrowed funds to make ends meet, and almost two in five lack confidence in their ability to make ends meet over the next 90 days. 

The Center for American Progress released a report examining how the premature lifting of pandemic restrictions strains emergency housing and homelessness efforts and will exacerbate evictions, foreclosures, and the country’s decades-old housing and homelessness crises. 

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities released a report on the severe consequences the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent economic fallout are having on those with the fewest resources. Policymakers must include comprehensive housing assistance in the next relief package, prioritizing aid for people with the most severe housing needs.

Updated on August 4, 2020.

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The National Housing Law Project and NLIHC, joined by nearly 170 organizations, sent a letter to HUD Secretary Ben Carson, urging the agency to use its legal authority to enact its own eviction moratorium to protect low-income renters. The letter provides policy recommendations to HUD to address the expiration of the CARES Act eviction moratorium on July 24.

NLIHC Research Analyst Dan Threet joined the “Off-Kilter Podcast” for the first episode of a two-part series looking at the looming eviction cliff. Listen to the episode here.

According to an analysis from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, emerging data demonstrate that a large and growing number of households are struggling to afford food and that millions of households are behind on rent. An estimated 13.1 million adult renters – or one in five – were behind on rent for the week ending July 7, and the rates were much higher for Black and Latino renters. The data also found that renters who are parents or otherwise live with children are more than twice as likely to be behind on rent.

The Children’s Defense Fund urged Congress to provide robust housing assistance and fully extend the eviction moratorium. Without significant federal intervention, millions of children could lose their homes.

The National Housing Law Project surveyed 100 legal aid and civil rights attorneys in 38 states. The survey found that 85% of respondents expect a dramatic surge in eviction cases once moratoria expire, and 85% of respondents don’t know how they will handle this surge. Read a summary of the results here.

Updated on July 28, 2020.

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The Urban Institute outlined policies and strategies to address material vulnerabilities faced by the Black LGBTQ community during COVID-19. The pandemic has had a marked impact on LGBTQ people of color’s economic wellbeing, housing stability, homelessness rates, and shelter access.

Updated on June 29, 2020.

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A new Urban Institute report estimates that renters need $16 billion per month in housing support to remain stably housed during the coronavirus crisis. The report suggests that Congress replace or complement existing unemployment assistance with rental assistance, which would help renters who experienced cost burden before and as a result of COVID-19.

The National Housing Law Project and the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials prepared a two-page flyer for public housing and voucher residents that explains the CARES Act eviction moratorium.

Updated on June 22, 2020.

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A piece in Reuters explores how the protests over race and policing are driven in part by housing inequities exacerbated by COVID-19. “A direct line connects America’s history of racist housing policies to today’s over-policing and disinvestment in black and brown communities. That same line connects to racial inequities in housing and to people of color being disproportionately harmed by disasters,” said NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel.

MarketWatch quoted NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel in an article discussing the disproportionate impact of the coronavirus on people of color and how COVID-19 will create even more prominent racial disparities in housing. “Without focused action, the pending tsunami of evictions and homelessness will disproportionately affect Black and brown people,” said Yentel.

NLIHC Vice President of Public Policy Sarah Saadian joined the Power Station podcast on June 1, where she spoke about how NLIHC mobilizes a diverse constituency of residents, local housing and homeless coalitions, and state, local, and national leaders to ensure that critical housing and homelessness resources are included in federal coronavirus relief packages.

The Urban Institute released a report examining new data that suggest that COVID-19 – and its economic fallout – is widening housing disparities by race and income.

Funders Together CEO Amanda Andere spoke about the work of addressing anti-blackness and achieving racial equity within our organizations and our movement to end housing poverty and homelessness on NLIHC’s national call on June 8. Read her full remarks here.

Updated on June 12, 2020.

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The National League of Cities (NLC) discussed the steps that some cities have taken to approve or expand overnight parking to support individuals experiencing vehicular homelessness. NLC suggests that cities can use federal coronavirus relief funding to provide both short- and long-term solutions for individuals and families experiencing vehicular homelessness and remove barriers around towing to not further exacerbate vehicular homelessness. 

The University of California, San Francisco published an interview with Margot Kushel, M.D., a leading expert on homelessness, exploring what the pandemic reveals about housing and health.

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Hasan Minhaj featured NLIHC’s searchable database of most properties covered under federal eviction moratoriums on an episode of Patriot Act. The show created a new website that highlights NLIHC’s database: https://www.dontgetkickedout.com/.Watch the episode, “What Happens If You Can’t Pay Rent” on Netflix! 
ProPublica published an interactive database to help renters find out if their rental unit qualifies for eviction prevention. The ProPublica database uses data from NLIHC, the Public and Affordable Housing Research Corporation, legal researchers, and others. Learn more here.
The National Alliance to End Homelessness released an FAQ on FEMA’s Public Assistance Program Category B (Emergency Protective Measures). Communities seeking to apply for funds can use the Alliance’s FAQ document and template letter.

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The Urban Institute is examining how state and local governments can respond to the rental housing challenges presented by COVID-19. In an ongoing Housing Matters blog series, researchers are presenting evidence-based ideas for how state and local governments can increase housing stability for renters impacted by the pandemic and job loss.   
The National Coalition for Homeless Veterans implored that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) needs more testing for unsheltered veterans or those in transitional housing, particularly in congregate environments. The coalition also urged increased investments in programs that serve veterans experiencing homelessness, affordable housing, and long-term solutions.
The National Alliance to End Homelessness’ Racial Equity Network updated its original racial equity tool in light of the pandemic. The tool is designed to help homelessness systems gather data to identify and address racial inequities in COVID-19 testing, treatment, and appropriate service delivery.
 
The Urban Institute outlined several steps to improve access to high-quality, systematic rural data to ensure that rural communities are not left behind after the pandemic. Existing data sources for rural communities are inadequate, making it difficult to know the true impacts of the pandemic on rural workers and economies.
 
Next City examined how community-driven development rooted in collaboration is needed to ensure an equitable and inclusive recovery from COVID-19.

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NLIHC and the National Housing Law Project (NHLP) sent a letter to HUD Secretary Ben Carson on April 21 urging the agency to take additional steps to protect tenants and maximize existing resources to house as many families as possible during the coronavirus pandemic.

The National Alliance to End Homelessness and the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities developed a framework that provides guidance for how homelessness systems can leverage the CARES Act and other funding sources to conduct emergency protective measures while also planning for recovery-oriented uses of these funds. All components of the “Framework for COVID-19 Homelessness Response: Responding to the Intersecting Crises of Homelessness and COVID-19” include a racial justice and equity lens.

The Disaster Housing Recovery Coalition and the Campaign for Housing a Community Development Funding hosted an April 23 webinar on the implementation of CARES Act funding. The recording is available at: https://youtu.be/KBRnUhMRRK4. 

NLIHC, NHLP, and the Alliance for Housing Justice prepared two brief summaries in both English and Spanish explaining the eviction moratoriums included in the CARES Act. The National Alliance of HUD Tenants (NAHT) prepared a one-page summary for tenants in Project-Based Rental Assistance properties and those with Housing Choice Vouchers about the right to seek an immediate reduction in rent. The NAHT summaries are available in English, Spanish, and Russian.

The Opportunity Starts at Home campaign sent a letter on April 13 to congressional leaders providing recommendations for what resources should be included in the next COVID-19 relief package. The recommendations were endorsed by nearly 50 leading national organizations. The campaign also released a press statement on April 27 to further urge Congress to expand critical housing and homelessness resources in the next COVID-19 relief package.

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities explored the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on people of color and people with the lowest incomes, who struggled with significant health and economic challenges prior to the coronavirus. The report demonstrates the urgent need for Congress to include relief measures in the next coronavirus relief package that will help people with the fewest resources avoid hardships like eviction, homelessness, and food insecurity.

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The Eviction Lab and Emily Benfer of Columbia Law School have developed a COVID-19 housing policy scorecard for 50 states and Washington, DC to evaluate each state’s response and identify best practices in housing policy.  The scorecard is a great resource for quickly comparing states’ homelessness prevention policies developed during the coronavirus pandemic.  

The Terner Center published a new analysis Estimating COVID-19’s Near-Term Impact on Renters, which examines the extent to which renter households may be impacted by the initial economic effects of the pandemic.

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities argued that the upcoming COVID-19 relief package should fund at least 500,000 new Housing Choice Vouchers and large-scale funding for short-term emergency rental assistance.

NLIHC has released a new toolkit on FEMA programs – which includes information on Public Assistance eligibility, FEMA’s current role during COVID-19, lessons from interacting with the agency, and more. This “Working with FEMA” toolkit is the latest in an array of resources offered to the affordable housing community by NLIHC’s Disaster Housing Recovery Coalition (DHRC).

NLIHC is maintaining a list of shelters being closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and including efforts to compensate and assist the shelters’ former residents. The list will be periodically updated to include the latest shutdowns.

The National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC), National Women’s Law Center (NLWC), National Housing Law Project (NHLP) and 104 other organizations sent a letter asking the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to suspend all non-emergency rulemaking until after the end of the declared national emergency. Several groups have recently sent out sign-on letters asking HUD to freeze comment periods or suspend the rulemaking process for a specific proposal; this letter builds off of those requests and expands the ask to specifically mention several other rules, including mixed status families, Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing, and Disparate Impact. 

A new resource by the National Fair Housing Alliance examines COVID-19 and illegal housing discrimination against people with disabilities, and describes the protections for people with disabilities and those who live with them under the Fair Housing Act.  

The NAACP has set up a Coronavirus page listing information, FAQs and links to report discrimination experienced during the pandemic.

Next City interviewed NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel as part of an article on the COVID-19 crisis’ potential to unite the housing movement.

An article, How to File Taxes if You’re Experiencing Homelessness, release by the Get It Back Campaign, a project of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, provides important tips and answers for tax filers who are experiencing homelessness.

NLIHC and the National Women’s Law Center released a fact sheet on housing priorities during the COVID-19 pandemic. These recommendations cover both the need for immediate housing assistance for individuals experiencing homelessness, as well as structural fixes to address the underlying reasons for our country’s persistent housing crisis. You can also view

The Anti-Eviction Mapping Project released a nationwide map of eviction moratoriums and tenant protections.

Stateside created a 2020 state and local government COVID-19 response chart to track state legislative actions, executive agency actions, and local government actions related to the pandemic.

The National Consumer Law Center launched a new COVID-19 & Consumer Protections page to provide updates on their efforts to protect renters and homeowners during the pandemic. The organization is also offering free access to the digital edition of “Surviving Debt: Expert Advice for Getting Out of Financial Trouble” – the NCLC’s comprehensive guide to navigating debt for consumers and their advocates.

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities released an updated overview of changes to unemployment insurance payments and eligibility. The center also released a list of recommendations to broaden eligibility for stimulus rebates.

The Center for Policy Development released a table showing the distribution of CDBG supplemental funding released by the CARES Act.

The National Conference of State Legislatures will be collecting federal agency announcements related to COVID-19 on it’s website.

With the passage of the third coronavirus stimulus package on Friday, advocates are now beginning to push federal agencies to release funding as soon as possible. For more details on what’s in the bill for housing and homelessness, see NLIHC’s full analysis and chart. An analysis of the eviction moratorium found in the bill is available here from the National Housing Law Project.

The National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty’s Housing Not Handcuffs Campaign released a letter template for organizations to send their elected officials calling for a moratorium on the clearing of homeless encampments during the pandemic.

National Innovation Services released an equity framework for emergency management and response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The National Lawyers Guild released a Know Your Rights guide for individuals living under a state of emergency.

NLIHC has developed a map showing housing and homelessness data as well as the number of COVID-19 cases for every county in the continental United States.

NLIHC and the National Housing Law Project sent a letter to HUD and the USDA asking the agencies to take aggressive steps to preserve the housing stability of low-income communities.

Enterprise Community Partners has released a webpage containing policy recommendations and resources for state and local leaders.

The Housing Assistance Council released a letter calling for a moratorium on foreclosures and evictions for USDA Sec. 502 housing. They have also released a page of resources on COVID-19/Rural Housing.

The Center for American Progress released a blog article calling for increases assistance for homeless individuals and families in the face of the coronavirus.

The Urban Institute released a special website cataloging their scholars’ response to policy moves as the pandemic continues.

Urban Institute’s Housing Matters blog looked at the effects of pausing evictions and how any moratorium must be connected with robust rental assistance.

The National Housing Law Project also released a Model Eviction Moratorium Act to serve as an example for jurisdictions working to stop evictions during the COVID-19 crisis.

Lone Star Legal Aid released a blog post on the relationship between Coronavirus isolation and domestic violence.

Healthdata.org released this set of projections of hospital resources based on COVID-19 fatalities. The data can be broken down by state.

In light of ongoing efforts to address COVID-19, the U.S. Census Bureau announced they will conduct the count of people experiencing homelessness between September 22 and 24. The Census Bureau has posted several resources to explain how they count people experiencing homelessness, how privacy and confidentiality are preserved, and how organizations can assist.