Additional Coronavirus Updates - Monday, July 13, 2020

Jul 13, 2020

National Updates

Department of Housing and Urban Development

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

HUD awarded $15 million to Native American Tribes on July 2 to support coronavirus recovery efforts.

HUD announced on July 8 the “Eviction Prevention and Stability Toolkit.”

Federal Housing Finance Administration

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

Advocacy

The NLIHC-led Disaster Housing Recovery Coalition (DHRC) 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.

The Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities’ Emergency Management Task Force, Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies, National Council on Independent Living, and Working Films are hosting a virtual film screening of Revisioning Recovery on July 16 from 4-6pm ET. The screening will include a panel discussion on the inclusion of people with disabilities in disaster planning. Learn more and register here.

In case you missed it: NLIHC released a new factsheet outlining why unemployment assistance is not sufficient, on its own, to keep families stably housed during and after the pandemic.

Reporting

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 immediate federal action, including a uniform national eviction moratorium and at least $100 billion in emergency rental assistance, to prevent the imminent wave of evictions and their harmful outcomes.

An article in Newsweek discusses 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 reports 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 examines 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 reports 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 examines 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 explores 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 moratoriums and patchwork of state moratoriums quickly expire.

The New York Times reports 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 be forced 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 reports 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.

Dwell magazine examines 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.

State and Local News

A list of state and local emergency rental assistance programs is available here from NLIHC.

Alabama

The Montgomery City Council on July 7 authorized Mayor Steven Reed to apply for $2.75 million in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG-CV) and Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG-CV). The federal funds would be used to re-house people experiencing homelessness, provide food for the elderly, expand COVID-19 testing and tracking, and establish an emergency crisis center.

Arizona

CNN reported on a Phoenix hotel that is temporarily housing people experiencing homelessness. Circle the City, a nonprofit health care provider for people experiencing homelessness, has leased 136 rooms at the Phoenix Inn.

The White Mountain Apache Tribe will use $3 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to construct eight transitional housing units for COVID-19 patients and their families. Once the immediate threat of COVID-19 has passed, the homes will provide temporary housing for tribal members who are experiencing homelessness or in transition while their homes are being repaired.

Arizona courts are preparing for a surge of eviction cases when Governor Doug Ducey allows the state’s eviction moratorium on July 22. The Arizona Supreme Court issued Administrative Order 2020-105, outlining steps to “facilitate the orderly and safe disposition of eviction cases” in the context of the pandemic. The order directs courts not to schedule more than 25 eviction cases per hour.

Arizona’s existing housing crisis is being exacerbated by COVID-19, and thousands of Arizonans are struggling to pay their rent. A $100 million fund to create more affordable housing for people experiencing homelessness and low-income residents launched this week with assistance from Medicaid and other healthcare providers. The fund aims to reduce homelessness and address racial inequities in housing.

Arkansas

The number of eviction filings in Arkansas spiked by more than 100 in June, causing advocates and experts to fear a sharp increase in evictions when the federal eviction moratorium expires July 25. National trends also point to a looming eviction crisis. “These evictions that are being filed are the canaries in the coal mine about further evictions that are coming down the road,” said NLIHC Vice President of Public Policy Sarah Saadian.

California

San Francisco Mayor London Breed announced on July 9 that the city will move 200 residents who have been temporarily residing in hotels during the pandemic into long-term homes by the end of the year through a Flexible Housing Subsidy Pool. The “Flex Pool” is a housing strategy that matches people experiencing homelessness with vacant private market apartments and provides supportive services. The first 18 months of Flex Pool operations will be funded through philanthropic grants.

The San Francisco Chronicle reported on the rise of homelessness in the Bay Area suburbs over the last several years. The coronavirus pandemic, which is expected to push more people into poverty, will make more visible the homelessness crisis that is already impacting the suburbs.

The San Francisco Chronicle interviewed an individual who has recently become homeless at age 77. The article highlights the dangers facing seniors experiencing homelessness. Bureaucracy is preventing thousands of people experiencing homelessness, particularly the elderly, from accessing hotel rooms during the pandemic.

The Alameda County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously on June 30 to enter into a $24.5 million, six-month contract with five hotels to provide temporary shelter to people experiencing homelessness who have tested positive for the coronavirus or have underlying medical conditions. The county’s contract with Day Hotel is one of our four that includes an option for the county to purchase the building in the coming months.

The San Francisco Chronicle discusses the challenges facing a family of seven on the brink of homelessness and trying to survive the economic devastating of the pandemic. Without significant federal intervention, the Bay Area’s already dire homeless crisis will worsen.

Governor Gavin Newsom announced on June 30 Project Homekey, the next phase of California’s COVID-19 response. Under the $1.3 billion Project Homekey program, counties will partner with the state to acquire and rehabilitate hotels, motels, vacant apartment buildings, and other housing types to housing people experiencing homelessness.

Activists in the Bay Area report that many people experiencing homelessness are falling through the cracks in California’s Project Roomkey, forcing local groups to step in and provide shelter where government efforts have fallen short.

Ventura County’s 211 hotline has seen an increase in calls for housing assistance and from people who report being at-risk of homelessness during the pandemic. Even before COVID-19, demand for affordable homes and housing assistance far exceeded the county’s supply.

According to officials, El Dorado County has housed approximately 40 people experiencing homelessness in two hotels under Project Roomkey. The program is set to run through July, but there is a chance that it could be extended through August. A member of the county’s COVID-19 homeless community response team said that the county’s experience with Project Roomkey will help it develop a more comprehensive strategy to end homelessness.

The Californian examined how the coronavirus pandemic has exacerbated the housing challenges of low-income families in Salinas.

After reporting nine cases of COVID-19 on June 27, the Modesto Gospel Mission reported on July 3 that the outbreak among their residents and staff members has reached 22 cases. According to the executive director, 18 residents and four staff members have tested positive.

Colorado

Governor Jared Polis allowed the statewide eviction ban to lapse in June, and Denver Public Safety Director Murphy Robinson signed an order on July 1 that allows law enforcement in Denver to carry out evictions. Hours before Colorado’s eviction moratorium expired, Governor Polis issued an executive order on June 13 that delayed legal proceedings against tenants for another month. Under the June 13 executive order, landlords were permitted to resume posting notices demanding payment, but those notices must provide tenants 30 days to pay their back rent. This means that many landlords could begin filing eviction claims as early as July 14.

A commentary in Colorado Newsline argues that Governor Jared Polis and Democratic leaders are failing to protect communities from homelessness during the pandemic. Governor Polis allowed the state’s eviction moratorium to expire on June 13, placing thousands of Coloradans at risk of eviction and homelessness.

Denver Mayor Michael Hancock announced on July 1 his support for two proposals to support and serve people experiencing homelessness: the establishment of temporary managed campsites and the creation of a new dedicated funding source to provide services for people experiencing homelessness.

Connecticut

Federal funding has been extended through the end of July to allow individuals experiencing homelessness who are temporarily residing at a Danbury hotel to stay longer as officials work to find them permanent housing. Connecticut plans to use approximately $4 million of federal coronavirus relief funds to move people into apartments and provide case management. An additional $472,000 will be prioritized to support people experiencing homelessness with disabilities.

The New Haven Board of Alders unanimously approved the city’s plan to allocate over $5 million in Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG-CV), Community Development Block Grant (CDBG-CV), and Housing Opportunities for People with Aids (HOPWA) funds toward rapid rehousing, rent and utility support, food and basic needs assistance, and other social services.

Florida

The Sun Sentinel reports that while Governor Ron DeSantis extended Florida’s eviction moratorium until August 1, thousands of renters may be at risk of eviction when the state and federal moratoriums and coronavirus relief benefits expire at the end of July. At least 2,672 evictions are pending in Florida, with landlords simply waiting for eviction protections to expire.

Kentucky

An op-ed in the Courier Journal discusses the critical need for targeted federal intervention, including emergency rental assistance, to address homelessness and stabilize the rental market. The authors urge Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) to prioritize an appropriation of $100 billion in rental assistance.

Maryland

Maryland housing advocates and elected officials have criticized the amount that Governor Larry Hogan announced in eviction prevention assistance, saying that $30 million is insufficient to meet the need. A recent survey by the Maryland Multi-Housing Association found that more than a third of tenants living in Class C properties were delinquent in their rent payments in June. The Association posted a factsheet on “COVID-19 Housing-Related Assistance for Residents” on July 7.

In a June 29 briefing before the Maryland House Environment and Transportation Committee on the pandemic’s impact on housing, the Public Justice Center recommended that Maryland commit $154 million of Coronavirus Relief Funds, Community Development Block Grant (CDBG-CV), and Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG-CV) to rental assistance. The $154 million would cover 50% of the projected need for rental assistance over four months.

Residents and tenant advocates in Maryland are bracing for a potential surge in evictions when eviction court proceedings resume and federal coronavirus relief ends at the end of July. Although Governor Larry Hogan announced a $30 million eviction prevention program on June 26, tenant rights groups and housing experts estimate that more than five times that amount is needed to keep Marylanders stably housed.

At a gathering outside of Baltimore City Hall, approximately 50 advocates, renters, and people experiencing homelessness called on Governor Larry Hogan and Baltimore Mayor Bernard “Jack” Young to provide more rental assistance and permanent housing. The group demanded that Baltimore City extend and expand its eviction moratorium and provide permanent housing for all people experiencing homelessness who are in shelters or temporarily residing in hotels.

Massachusetts

Mayor Martin Walsh and the Boston Housing Authority (BHA) on July 10 announced that the moratorium on nonessential evictions for BHA residents has been extended through the end of the year. The moratorium applies to BHA public housing residents, but not BHA voucher holders. The Massachusetts statewide eviction and foreclosure moratorium is set to expire on August 18.

The Ipswich Affordable Housing Trust Fund Board is partnering with Action Inc. to offer short-term rental assistance to eligible residents who have been financially impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

The Citizens’ Housing and Planning Association (CHAPA), the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development, and the Massachusetts Housing Partnership released a report on locally-funded COVID-19 emergency rental assistance programs.

Boston magazine examines how the coming eviction crisis is an issue embedded in racial inequity that could contribute to a surge in coronavirus cases and even voter suppression.

Minnesota

Hundreds of people are now living in an encampment in Minneapolis’ Powderhorn Park. The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board served 72-hour eviction notices to people residing in the encampment on June 12, but rescinded the notices when the Minnesota Interagency Council on Homelessness announced that this would violate the governor’s executive order. Hennepin County’s Healthcare for the Homeless team reported that they are trying to connect people in Powderhorn Park and other encampments to housing and shelter, but the system is strained.

Mississippi

The Mississippi Home Corporation will distribute approximately $8 million for rental assistance and emergency housing relief. The agency will partner with several aid agencies, including the Central Mississippi Continuum of Care, the Open Doors Homeless Coalition, and the Mississippi United to End Homelessness.

Missouri

A spokesperson for St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson said that the city’s efforts to clear encampments along highway overpass corridors were made at the request of the Missouri Department of Transportation. The decision to clear encampments sparked a protest outside of the mayor’s home on July 1.

A medical shelter and quarantine center in Springfield for people experiencing homelessness who test positive for the coronavirus is now operational. The shelter will provide food, laundry services, and medical consultation.

Montana

The Poverello Center, Montana’s largest homeless shelter, is reporting an increase in people who are experiencing unsheltered homelessness. The center received $4,500 from Missoula County’s COVID-19 relief fund and will use these funds toward a new initiative called the Phones for Housing Project.

Nebraska

Lincoln Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird announced on July 7 that the city will allocate approximately $906,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG-CV) and Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) to provide rent, mortgage, and utility payments. Approximately $2.7 million in ESG-CV will be used to assist people experiencing homelessness.

Nevada

A piece in the Nevada Current discusses how the need for rental assistance is too great for the state to meet on its own. To keep Nevadans stably housed, federal rental assistance is needed.

New York

Justice Anthony Cannataro, the administrative judge of the New York City Civil Court, announced on July 9 that in-person eviction trials will resume July 27 in Brooklyn, with other counties soon to follow.

The New York Daily News editorial board called on state legislators to mandate that landlords offer flexible repayment plan options and urged Congress to authorize billions in emergency rental assistance and extend enhanced unemployment benefits.

North Carolina

The Wake County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to appropriate an additional $1.7 million in federal coronavirus relief funds for eviction prevention. This funding will fund part of Phase II of the House Wake! strategic plan. “This effort is part of our long-term goal to move as many people as possible into a secure and stable housing situation,” said Wake County Commissioner Sig Hutchinson.

Durham County’s COVID-19 housing contract with a hotel temporarily sheltering people experiencing homelessness expires on July 9, and new shelter guidelines to accommodate social distancing may strain Durham’s shelters.

Ohio

According to a U.S. Census Bureau survey, more than 500,000 Ohioans were unable to pay their rent last month due to the pandemic. The Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio (COHHIO), an NLIHC state partner, has called on Governor Mike DeWine to invest a modest portion of the state’s coronavirus relief funding in emergency rental assistance. “Doing nothing is not an option when you can see disaster on the horizon. We need emergency rental assistance now,” said Bill Faith, executive director of COHHIO.

Holiday Inn Express & Suites in Sharonville backed out of a contract with the Butler County Commission to temporarily house people experiencing homelessness during the pandemic. Butler County Emergency Management Agency Director Matt Haverkos previously reported that finding hotels willing to provide temporary shelter to people experiencing homelessness and those infected with the virus has been challenging.

A Cleveland hotel has provided temporary housing to people experiencing homelessness during the pandemic.

Outreach to people experiencing homelessness in Cleveland has been critical for helping people find the services and shelter they need to stay safe during the pandemic.

Oregon

Service providers in Multnomah County report that while they have not yet witnessed a spike in need yet, they predict that a rise in homelessness due to the pandemic and its economic fallout is on the horizon.

Pennsylvania

Governor Tom Wolf signed on July 9 a new executive order that extends the eviction and foreclosure moratorium until August 31, 2020. The moratorium protects households that are not protected under other federal eviction programs or families that are not receiving assistance from a new program administered by the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency.

Governor Tom Wolf extended the eviction and foreclosure moratorium on July 9 after facing growing pressure from advocates, residents, and state legislators. Pennsylvania is allocating $175 million of its federal coronavirus relief funds to provide rental and mortgage assistance. However, the rental assistance funds have not yet been distributed, and the $750 per month maximum on payments will be insufficient to cover the full rental amount for many households.

The Philadelphia Inquirer released an article detailing the eligibility requirements and application process for the state’s emergency mortgage and rent assistance program.

Tenants, housing advocates, and local officials in Berks County are concerned about a potential surge in evictions as Pennsylvania’s eviction moratorium is set to expire on July 10. The pandemic has exacerbated the county’s high eviction rates, which averaged about 4,000 a year even before COVID-19.

Texas

Megan Kimble, a senior editor of the Texas Observer, joined CBS News to discuss how landlords are filing hundreds of evictions in violation of the CARES Act.

While significant concerns exist about a rise in homelessness due to COVID-19, Reform Austin examines how organizations and service providers across Texas have worked to protect people experiencing homelessness amid the pandemic. “I think our homeless crisis response systems have done an amazing job of responding,” said Eric Samuels, CEO of the Texas Homeless Network, an NLIHC state partner.

Utah

Affordable housing advocates in Utah, including the Utah Housing Coalition, an NLIHC state partner, are concerned that tenants behind on rent could soon face evictions. The Utah Housing Coalition partnered with Utah Community Action to offer an online version of the “Tenant Toolkit.”

Vermont

Governor Phil Scott signed on July 2, H.966, a COVID-19 relief bill that includes $25 million in aid for landlords. “H.966 is an absolutely critical piece of legislation to make funding available to both for-profit and nonprofit property owners,” said Erhard Mahnke, coordinator for the Vermont Affordable Housing Coalition, an NLIHC state partner.

Washington, DC

An article in the Washington Post discusses new protections and assistance programs that the District, Maryland, and Virginia are establishing to help tenants and landlords impacted by the pandemic.

Wisconsin

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that Milwaukee County landlords filed nearly 1,500 eviction actions in June, which is a 26% increase over last year. The increase in evictions would likely be higher without the rental assistance programs that Wisconsin and Milwaukee County launched in June, but these programs are unable to meet the significant need for rental assistance.

Guidance

Department of Agriculture

USDA Rural Development Immediate Actions Factsheet - Updated July 8

USDA Rural Development COVID-19 Resources - Updated July 2

Department of Health and Human Services

ASPE Issue Brief: Individuals Experiencing Homelessness are Likely to Have Medical Conditions Associated with Severe Illness from COVID-19 - June 25

Department of Housing and Urban Development

COVID-19 Homeless System Response: Data & Equity - Using the Data You Have - July 8

COVID-19 Homeless System Response: HMIS Allowable Expenses for ESG - July 8

COVID-19 Homeless System Response: Rapid Expansion of HMIS - Things to Consider - July 8

Eviction Prevention and Stability Toolkit - July 1

HOME Sample Self-Certification of Income Form to Implement HOME COVID-19 Waivers - June 30