National Updates
The Federal Housing Finance Administration (FHFA) announced on December 2 that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will extend moratoriums on single-family foreclosures and real estate owned evictions until at least January 31, 2021.
Advocacy
NLIHC’s DHRC continues to advocate 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.
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.
Reporting
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.
State and Local News
A list of state and local emergency rental assistance programs is available here from NLIHC.
Arizona
Assistance for metro Phoenix renters is running out as the expiration of the federal eviction moratorium quickly approaches. Arizona renters owe at least $178 million in back rent, and as many as 150,000 renters could be evicted next month. Instead of allocating some of the nearly $400 million left in the state’s CARES Act funding to rental assistance, Governor Doug Ducey gave the money to state agencies for operating budgets.
Arizona state legislators sent a letter to Governor Doug Ducey urging him to reinstate the eviction moratorium, replenish the COVID-19 Rental Assistance Trust Fund with an additional $10 million, and simplify the eligibility criteria for rental assistance and allow landlords to apply for assistance.
Arkansas
The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports that landlords and property managers filed 1,339 unlawful detainer lawsuits from September 1 to November 20. Housing experts in Arkansas are bracing for a spike in evictions and homelessness when the federal eviction moratorium expires at the end of the year. Many tenants do not know about the federal eviction moratorium or the steps they must take to be protected.
California
The Daily Democrat reports that Yolo County’s Project Roomkey has provided approximately 533 individuals experiencing homelessness with 49,244 nights of shelter between March 16 and November 17. “In the midst of a pandemic, this project has been a shining example of what can occur when those most in need are supported through a collaborative effort from providers, cities, and the county,” said Yolo County’s Homeless Program Coordinator Nadia Waggener.
Alameda County officials are scrambling to move more than 1,200 people currently residing in hotels into permanent housing before Project Roomkey ends. Two people living and working in hotels report being recently told that the program is ending before January. “We are collaborating with the county on a possible extension of the timeframe, as well as identifying permanent housing for the residents of the hotels,” said a spokesman for the City of Berkeley.
Humboldt County has benefited from California’s Project Roomkey program, receiving at least two disbursements from the state. Project Roomkey funding has provided nearly 13,000 shelter nights to people experiencing homelessness in Eureka, Arcata, and Southern Humboldt.
Mercury News examines how the pandemic is changing how Bay Area communities are constructing homeless shelters. Cities and counties around the Bay Area are experimenting with tiny, modular apartments.
California Highway Patrol (CHP) officers forcibly removed families experiencing homelessness who were seeking shelter in vacant houses the night before Thanksgiving and amid a surge in COVID-19 cases.
Colorado
The Denver Post reports on advocates’ concerns that Colorado will experience an increase in homelessness this upcoming winter as COVID-19 cases rise and eviction protections are due to expire. “When the federal moratorium lifts, I think we’re going to see a huge wave of evictions,” said Cathy Alderman of the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless. “It’s going to be a flood of people entering homelessness.”
Florida
An op-ed in the Orlando Sentinel, written by an individual who has experienced eviction and homelessness, urges elected officials to recognize that homelessness is the most pressing issue facing Central Floridians today and take action to keep families housed.
The Orlando Sentinel editorial board urges Governor Ron DeSantis to reinstitute a statewide eviction moratorium that would remain in effect until Congress or the White House pass additional coronavirus relief. According to the Community Justice Project, about 2,500 evictions have been filed in Orange County since the CDC eviction moratorium went into effect in September.
Georgia
WABE reports that the administration of Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms is proposing reducing funding for an emergency COVID-19 rental assistance program by half – from $22 million to $11 million. Since the pandemic began, ten thousand eviction notices have been sent in Fulton County.
Idaho
In the past two weeks, COVID-19 has spread in two Boise homeless shelters. Approximately 50 guests at Boise Rescue Mission have tested positive for the virus since the beginning of the year, with one guest and a staff member dying of COVID-19.
Illinois
An op-ed in the Canton Daily Ledger outlines the steps policymakers must take to ensure families stay stably housed. Legislators must include comprehensive housing assistance in the next COVID-19 relief package, including funding for non-congregate shelters, increased street outreach, and efforts to move individuals and families into permanent housing.
Kentucky
Louisville officials and advocates are concerned about an increase in evictions, homelessness, and COVID-19 cases if eviction moratoriums are not enacted or extended by the mayor, governor, or White House. Local organizations are urging Mayor Greg Fischer to enact an eviction moratorium for Jefferson County that would remain in effect until next year.
Louisiana
Louisiana landlords filed a federal lawsuit seeking to over the CDC eviction moratorium on November 12. Chambless Enterprises LLC and the Apartment Association of Louisiana filed their petition against the CDC and other federal officials in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana.
Missouri
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the continuing spread of the coronavirus is complicating efforts to provide emergency overnight shelter for individuals experiencing homelessness this upcoming winter. The city has added 245 beds for people experiencing homelessness for a total of 2,400 city-supported beds, and an additional 170 beds are expected to be available in December.
New Jersey
The Asbury Park Press reports that the Jersey Shore is experiencing increases in homelessness amid the pandemic. The article lists various opportunities to support individuals experiencing homelessness in the region.
New Mexico
The City of Albuquerque is establishing additional housing options for people experiencing homelessness amid the ongoing pandemic. More than 630 people have been placed in emergency shelters, and four hotels are housing people experiencing homelessness who are elderly or have chronic conditions. A fifth hotel will open on November 30 for at-risk populations like families and seniors who have not tested positive for the coronavirus.
New York
The Wall Street Journal reports that New York City advocates continue to urge city officials to place individuals experiencing homelessness in single-occupancy hotel rooms to prevent the spread of the coronavirus throughout the shelter system.
New York City marshals have begun executing the first legal residential evictions since the pandemic shuttered courts across the state in March.
North Carolina
PACEM, a group that sets up temporary lodgings in various churches in Charlottesville and around Albemarle County during the winter months, is adjusting to the pandemic’s impact on shelter space. While the pandemic has required the organization to reduce its capacity, local hotels are being used as non-congregate shelters for people experiencing homelessness.
Oregon
Oregon legislators allocated $35 million to convert hotels or motels into temporary housing for people experiencing homelessness. The application process opened on November 20.
Rhode Island
Crossroads Rhode Island opened an emergency shelter at a former YMCA building in Providence with 30 additional beds allowing for appropriate social distancing. Crossroads used COVID-19 relief funds to renovate the building, which has been vacant for the last two years.
Tennessee
Housing experts in Chattanooga are warning about an increase in homelessness when the eviction moratorium expires at the end of the year. Across Tennessee, there is a shortage of affordable and available homes for the lowest-income renters.
Texas
Dallas County health officials are investigating a coronavirus outbreak at a Stemmons Corridor homeless shelter after a shelter employee died from COVID-19 complications. Five employees and 10 residents at Union Gospel Mission Dallas tested positive for the virus as of November 18.
Virginia
Valley Mission, the Shenandoah’s longest operating private homeless shelters, reports that there have been positive COVID-19 cases within the shelter.
Washington, DC
Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser announced a $10 million fund for housing stabilization grants to assist residents and affordable housing providers who have struggled to keep up with rent payments. The new grants, funded through the federal Coronavirus Relief Fund, will cover delinquent rent accrued from April 1.
DCist reports on the district’s new $10 million rent relief program, funded through the CARES Act, that allows landlords to apply directly for aid. Most of the funds – $9 million – will be for affordable housing projects. The remaining $1 million is set aside for small landlords.
Washington
A coalition of organizations is rushing to place individuals experiencing homelessness into hotels directly from the street using federal CARES Act funding that expires at the end of the year. King County allocated $4 million to the effort, called JustCARES, but the program is unlikely to spend the full amount before the deadline.
With federal relief money running out and Congress stalled on another stimulus package, Washington state lawmakers and housing officials fear a wave of evictions and an increase in homelessness in the coming months.
A dispute between King County government officials and Renton city leaders about a Renton hotel currently housing people experiencing homelessness has escalated. While county leaders state that housing nearly 250 formerly homeless individuals at the hotel has been critical to slowing the spread of coronavirus, city officials argue that it has increased crime in the area.
Mary’s Place, a shelter in Seattle, is bracing for a rise in homelessness as the eviction moratorium nears its end. Mary’s Place started a rapid response fund as part of their annual “No Child Sleeps Outside” campaign to help families move quickly back into safe housing or remain housed during the pandemic.
Wisconsin
As temperatures in Wisconsin drop, state officials and homeless advocates are preparing for increased demands on shelters this winter. Between the pandemic, the expiration of the federal eviction moratorium, and dropping temperatures, shelters are anticipating a difficult winter.
Guidance
Department of Housing and Urban Development
COVID-19 Homeless System Response: Winter Planning Resources
What to Do in a Shelter When Someone Shows COVID-19 Symptoms (Spanish version)
Facility Layout: You Know You’re Ready When You Have (Spanish version)
Cleaning Activities: You Know You’re Ready When You Have (Spanish version)
Help Stop the Spread of COVID-19 by Watching for These Possible Symptoms (Spanish version)
National Health Care for the Homeless Council
November 2020 Issue Brief: Ensuring Access to Care Through State Medicaid Telehealth Policies