During the most recent national call on coronavirus, disasters, housing, and homelessness, we discussed the impact of state and federal eviction moratoriums on the rate of COVID-19 infections and fatalities, and how expiring unemployment benefits will affect households experiencing coronavirus-related income loss. We received field updates from Ohio, Utah, and Houston and heard updates from Capitol Hill.
Emily Benfer from Wake Forest University and Kate Leifheit from UCLA’s Fielding School of Public Health shared findings from their studies “Expiring Eviction Moratoriums and COVID-19 Incidence and Mortality” and “Pandemic Housing Policy: Examining the Relationship Among Eviction, Housing Instability, Health Inequity, and COVID-19 Transmission.” The studies found eviction increases the risk of COVID-19 infection and transmission, indicating eviction prevention is an effective COVID-19 mitigation and recovery strategy. Andrew Stettner from The Century Foundation shared an update on the imminent expiration of CARES Act unemployment benefits, which have been an important source of income for low-income households experiencing coronavirus-related financial distress.
We received field updates from the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio, the Utah Housing Coalition, and the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) Houston, Houston Housing Stability Task Force about their COVID-19 responses. NLIHC’s Sarah Saadian shared updates from the Hill on the state of the annual spending bills and coronavirus relief package. NLIHC is advocating for an extension of the CDC’s eviction moratorium as well as key improvements to strengthen the moratorium’s protections, and for Congress to pass a national, blanket moratorium on evictions for nonpayment of rent.
NLIHC hosts national calls on coronavirus, disasters, housing, and homelessness every week. Register for today’s call (Monday, December 7 at 2:30 pm ET) at: https://tinyurl.com/ru73qan
Watch a recording of the November 30 call at: tinyurl.com/y5k7btc4
Access presentation slides at: tinyurl.com/y56w49bl