Urgent Action is Needed NOW: Call Your Members of Congress

Final decisions over a COVID-19 relief package are being made today, and some Republicans are now opposing the bipartisan agreement to include a one-month extension of the federal eviction moratorium, putting millions of renters at risk of losing their homes starting on January 1.

Members of Congress cannot go back to their homes for the holidays until they ensure that tens of millions of renters won’t lose their homes this winter, during the height of the pandemic.

Contact your members of Congress NOW and urge them to support the bipartisan agreement to extend the federal eviction moratorium and provide $25 billion in emergency rental assistance.

Over 1,500 organizations are joining NLIHC in urging Congress and the CDC to extend the eviction moratorium. Share the letter and your support widely!
 

Background

Nearly one in five renters – disproportionately Black and Latino renters – are behind on their rents. Up to 30 million to 40 million renters are at risk of losing their homes when the eviction moratorium issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ends on December 31, during a deadly resurgence of the pandemic. Renters already owe between $34 billion and $70 billion of back rent and will soon face a financial cliff if the CDC moratorium expires. The consequences of congressional inaction will be deadly and costly – for children and families, for communities, and for our country’s ability to contain the pandemic. Evictions risk lives, push families deeper into poverty, and further strain our nation’s public health systems. 

The bipartisan and bicameral compromise relief bill provides $25 billion in emergency rental assistance and extends through January 31 the CDC eviction moratorium to keep renters in their homes while state and local governments work quickly to distribute aid to households in need. The extension would also allow for President-elect Biden to issue an improved eviction moratorium on his first day in office.

Some Republicans are now are trying to back out of the bipartisan agreement to include a one-month extension of the eviction moratorium.

Congressional leaders may reach a decision on this issue today.
 

Take Action

Email and call your members of Congress NOW to demand that any COVID-19 relief package includes the bipartisan agreement to extend the federal eviction moratorium.

Thank you for your advocacy

Urgent Action Needed for #RentReliefNow

The federal eviction moratorium expires in just over two weeks. By then, renters will owe an estimated $70 billion in back rent, more than they can ever pay off. If the federal government doesn’t intervene, tens of millions of people will lose their homes this winter, during the height of COVID-19. The consequences will be catastrophic - for children, families, communities and our country’s ability to contain the pandemic. Watch and share Diane Yentel on CNN International, discussing the stakes and urgency for action.

A bipartisan group of Senators and Representatives have agreed on a compromise COVID relief package. Congressional leadership are currently considering and finalizing the proposal. A deal will likely be announced soon. Congress MUST ACT NOW to take these desperately and urgently needed actions:
 

Extend, Improve and Enforce the CDC Eviction Moratorium
 

The Congressional bipartisan agreement on a COVID-19 relief package includes an extension of the CDC eviction moratorium through January 31, and pairs it with $25B in emergency rental assistance! The extension of the eviction moratorium gives time for states and cities to get emergency rental assistance to renters and landlords, and for President-elect Biden to issue a strengthened eviction moratorium on his first day in office.

Thank you the over 1,500 organizations that joined NLIHC in urging the CDC to extend, improve and enforce its eviction moratorium, which they have the authority to do NOW. We’ve sent the final letter to the CDC today. Tweet about it to show your support! In January, we’ll revise and send the same letter to President-elect Biden urging immediate action after his inauguration.
 

Provide Emergency Rental Assistance
 

The bipartisan COVID-19 relief bill includes $25 billion in emergency rental assistance to keep renters stably housed! The program would be administered by the U.S. Department of the Treasury to ensure the assistance gets to communities quickly and the funds are targeted to the renters most at risk of eviction.

For more details on the housing provisions in the bipartisan COVID-19 relief bill, read NLIHC’s fact sheet. See NLIHC’s estimate of how much emergency rental assistance each state will receive under the proposal (note: these estimates combine allocations to the state government and local jurisdictions within each state).
 

Extend the Spending Deadline for Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) Rental Assistance Programs

Communities have created over 500 emergency rental assistance programs during the pandemic. NLIHC has tracked them all. Most have spent the money quickly, efficiently and effectively. Some have struggled with capacity and other challenges and need more time to get the funds to renters in need. Read this New York Times article on the challenges and need for an extension: “Use it or Lose it: Tenant Aid Effort Nears a Federal Cutoff.”
 

The bipartisan COVID-19 relief bill would extend the spending deadline for these programs and ensure these funds are not reverted to the Treasury! 
 

Take Action!

 

Call Congress and urge them to enact the COVID-19 relief bill NOW!

The bipartisan COVID-19 relief bill could be added to the final omnibus spending bill for Fiscal Year (FY) 2021. The current continuing resolution (CR) expires on December 18. At that time, Congress must pass another CR or a final spending bill, or risk a government shutdown. Congress may enact a short-term CR to provide them with the time needed to approve a combined omnibus-COVID-19 relief bill as soon as this weekend or early next week.
 

Thank you for your advocacy