Leading organizations from the health sector sent an August 6 letter to Congress urging vital housing resources and protections in the next COVID-19 relief package. The letter calls for robust emergency rental assistance, a national eviction moratorium, and expanded funding for homeless assistance. Signatories include the American Academy of Pediatrics, America’s Essential Hospitals, Catholic Health Association of the U.S., Children’s HealthWatch, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Cleveland Clinic, Community Catalyst, Healthcare Anchor Network, National Alliance on Mental Illness, and others. The letter was sent through the Opportunity Starts at Home multisector affordable homes campaign.
“As leaders in the health sector, we understand that now, more than ever, housing is health,” the letter reads. “Without action from Congress, we are going to see a tsunami of evictions, and its fallout will directly impact the healthcare system and harm the health of families and individuals for years to come.”
The letter demonstrates that housing advocates are not alone in their call for federal action. The healthcare community broadly recognizes that congressional action is necessary for supporting housing stability, for promoting good health among the population, and for reducing risk factors that lead to higher health care utilization.
Read the letter at: https://tinyurl.com/y5kowtjf
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