National Updates
Reporting
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's 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,” Diane said.
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.
State and Local News
A list of state and local emergency rental assistance programs is available here from NLIHC.
Arkansas
The Arkansas Community Action Agencies Association will be offering emergency rental assistance for people impacted by COVID-19 through a new program called “Arkansas Fresh Start.”
California
Governor Gavin Newsom on October 29 announced the final round of Project Homekey funding – $129.6 million to nine applicants for 17 projects totaling 982 units. To date, more than $835.6 million have been awarded to 48 jurisdictions for 93 projects totaling 6,055 units.
The Californian shares the story of an 87-year-old woman evicted from her apartment in north Salinas, calling attention to the immediate and long-term impacts of eviction. Individuals who are evicted during the pandemic face a greater risk for contracting coronavirus.
VoteMobile has visited farmers markets, a homeless services center, and communities devastated by the recent wildfires to help survivors, seniors, and people experiencing homelessness in California cast their votes.
After receiving pushback from city residents, Marin County Supervisor Judy Arnold is recommending the county stop negotiations to buy and convert a Novato hotel to housing for people experiencing homelessness using Project Homekey funds. Novato residents protested the location, the expedited project timeline, and the loss of city revenue, and some residents even created an online petition to recall Supervisor Arnold. The city of Novato is considering filing a lawsuit to halt Marin County’s plan to convert a hotel into housing for people experiencing homelessness. If Novato decides to sue, it will join other cities who have challenged Project Homekey in court, including the city of Milpitas and developers in Sacramento.
Stanislaus County homeless service providers will receive nearly $22.8 million in CARES Act funds to prevent and respond to outbreaks among people experiencing homelessness. Stanislaus continuum members and community members met over Zoom to discuss the new funding, with some raising the need for more services for Latinos and the LGBTQ community.
Colorado
The Colorado Sun examines how eviction moratoriums and rental assistance have been effective policy solutions to keep Coloradoans stably housed during the pandemic and economic fallout. Colorado’s Division of Housing in the Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) has used federal CARES Act funds to support tenants and landlords. “Housing insecurity has become one of the most concerning byproducts of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said DOLA Executive Director Rick Garcia.
Connecticut
The Day reports housing advocates are bracing for an increase in homelessness, including among veterans, when the federal and statewide eviction moratoriums expire at the end of the year.
Florida
The Palm Beach Post reports that residents are increasingly struggling to pay rent and meet basic needs amid the ongoing pandemic. With most federal and state emergency assistance provisions and protections expired, nonprofits in Palm Beach County are trying to meet the growing needs of residents facing homelessness and hunger.
The Tampa Bay Times discusses the federal judge’s decision to deny landlords’ request to halt implementation of the CDC eviction moratorium, noting that the judge’s ruling is particularly important in states like Florida that do not have a statewide eviction moratorium.
The Charlotte CARES Act Eviction Diversion Program was launched on November 2. The program is designed to serve Charlotte County residents who were approved for CARES Act financial assistance but are still facing significant hardship, specifically eviction. Landlords must agree not to seek eviction for nonpayment once they receive a receipt for past due rent and must waive any fines and fees that exceed the maximum award of $5,000.
Indiana
Fort Wayne is likely to experience waves of evictions amid the ongoing pandemic and economic fallout. In 2016, Fort Wayne had the 13th highest eviction rate in the country, and the pandemic will likely exacerbate the city’s housing crisis.
Maine
The Bangor Daily News reports that calls for legal assistance from Maine renters facing eviction have increased statewide by more than 20% in the past three months since the federal protections under the CARES Act expired. The state on November 2 reopened the COVID-19 Rent Relief Program, which has assisted 14,000 Mainers since April. Housing advocates, including the Maine Affordable Housing Coalition, an NLIHC state partner, fear that without federal rental assistance, the looming eviction crisis is being delayed, not prevented.
Maryland
About 285 Annapolis public housing residents could soon face eviction after a moratorium, imposed by the Housing Authority of the City of Annapolis (HACA), expired on November 2. There is no definitive date for when failure to pay rent judgments may be filed in Maryland court, but HACA’s executive director reports it could happen “soon.”
Michigan
Mlive.com reports that after seven months without a COVID-19 case, the Delonis Center shelter in downtown Ann Arbor is bracing for the upcoming winter as the pandemic rages on. The shelter is also preparing for an influx of residents who will need shelter after being forced from an Ann Arbor hotel.
Mlive.com reports dozens of people experiencing homelessness temporarily residing at the Red Roof Inn will be removed from the hotel and transferred to new shelter spaces. Activists with Washtenaw Camp Outreach staged a protest outside the hotel on October 28, questioning the county’s homelessness response during the pandemic.
Michigan homeless shelters are preparing for their first full winter during the pandemic. Washtenaw County will open its warming centers early this year to ensure unhoused residents can maintain physical distancing. Additionally, the county will use its recreation center for overnight shelter overflow as needed.
Minnesota
The Star Tribune reports the threatened eviction of approximately 50 people experiencing homelessness from a Bloomington hotel did not occur, but it is unclear how long the guests will be able to continue sheltering at the Extended Stay hotel. Hennepin County announced at the beginning of October plans to purchase the hotel for $13.3 million and convert it to 100 units of protective housing for people experiencing homelessness at risk for COVID-19. Last week, officials reneged on the plan, citing timing constraints due to the Coronavirus Relief Fund’s December 1 deadline.
Missouri
Missouri housing and homeless advocates are concerned about a tsunami of evictions when the federal eviction moratorium and several circuit court orders expire. Calls from families on the verge of eviction have increased 300% at Catholic Charities of Southern Missouri.
Missouri legislators approved $9.6 million in Emergency Solutions Grant – Coronavirus (ESG-CV) in May and will return for a special session in November to appropriate more. The Missouri Housing Development Commission (MHDC) has not delivered the funds yet, stating it has been unable to do so because it did not receive guidance from HUD on its use until September 1. “Are the feds slowing down any decision made at the state level, or is this MHDC dragging their feet on getting the money out the door?” said state Representative Kip Kendrick.
Nevada
The Las Vegas Review-Journal shares the stories of Nevadans facing eviction and the steps renters must take to be protected under the CDC eviction moratorium.
New Mexico
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports the pandemic is exacerbating Santa Fe’s existing affordable housing crisis. While eviction moratoriums have helped many people stay in their homes, some renters have fallen through the cracks of eviction protections. Advocates say the city and state must pursue policy reforms to address Sante Fe’s housing crisis.
New York
The Legal Aid Society released a statement calling on Governor Andrew Cuomo to extend an executive order pausing default judgments, which expires Wednesday, November 4. As many as 14,800 households in New York City are at risk of losing their homes, simply because they followed the court’s instructions to refrain from answering their petitions.
North Carolina
The Asheville Citizen-Times reports the city will seek an additional $890,000 in federal CARES Act funds to prevent evictions and homelessness. There were 42 evictions in Asheville and the rest of Buncombe County in September, the highest since the pandemic’s start. While Governor Roy Cooper extended the statewide eviction moratorium, Asheville hopes to use CARES Act funds to keep renters housed when the moratorium ends.
Ohio
The Akron Beacon Journal reports on federal lawsuits seeking to overturn the CDC eviction moratorium, which has protected more than 50 tenants in Summit County from eviction. A group of Ohio landlords, including Cedarwood Village Apartments – the most aggressive eviction filer in Akron this year – filed a lawsuit against the moratorium on October 23. According to Luke Wake, an attorney with the Pacific Legal Foundation, the group is “very seriously” considering filing another lawsuit on behalf of a smaller landlord in an unnamed southern state.
Oregon
The Salem Statesman Journal reports Salem officials and advocates are considering additional housing options for the more than 1,500 people experiencing homelessness in the city as COVID-19 cases spike and winter looms.
The Corvallis Gazette-Times discusses local homeless service providers’ efforts to meet the needs of people experiencing homelessness amid the ongoing pandemic and looming winter.
Pennsylvania
Spotlight PA reports loopholes in the CDC eviction moratorium and vague guidance have resulted in evictions and homelessness despite the federal ban. A Spotlight PA investigation found an inconsistent system of justice across the state, meaning decisions interpreting the vague federal moratorium vary from town to town.
Tennessee
Advocates protested outside the federal building in downtown Memphis on October 30 after a three-hour court hearing concerning a federal lawsuit filed by Memphis landlords seeking to overturn the CDC eviction moratorium. The demonstrators protested the lawsuit, saying that evictions are a crime during the pandemic.
NBC News Nashville breaks down the CDC’s national eviction moratorium, noting the steps tenants must take to be protected under the order. The Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee reports there have been over 560 evictions filed in Nashville for October alone.
Texas
Austin Monthly discusses Austin’s looming eviction crisis as the COVID-19 pandemic rages on and residents increasingly struggle to afford food and rent.
Guidance
Department of Housing and Urban Development
COVID-19 Homeless System Response: Comparable Database Vendor Checklist
COVID-19 Homeless System Response: 5 Tips to Approaching Rehousing with Racial Equity
Materials Posted: Addressing Unsheltered Homelessness Webinar
Materials Posted: IDIS Setup and Draws for ESG-CV Webinar
Federal Housing Finance Agency
Information for Tenants in Rental Properties with a Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac Mortgage – October 29