Congress must pass the housing elements of the HEROES Act to protect low-income renters and prevent a tsunami of evictions. As the Senate returns to business on July 20, let’s band together and make clear that the lowest-income renters cannot wait! Join us for a Virtual Lobby Day on July 21 to urge Congress to provide emergency housing resources and protections for the lowest-income people during and after the COVID-19 public health emergency.
Advocates for housing justice throughout the country are raising the concerns of low-income renters and people experiencing homelessness during the coronavirus pandemic in meetings and conversations with members of Congress and their staff. IT’S WORKING! Support and enthusiasm for key housing resources and provisions is growing in the Senate and House due to your outstanding advocacy efforts.
But more advocacy is needed! Congress needs to hear from you about the increase in evictions in your communities, the threat of many more to come, and the need for people to have homes in order to “stay at home” during this health crisis. We must not allow massive numbers of households to be driven into homelessness during the pandemic. Immediate action is a moral imperative and a public health necessity.
We encourage all advocates to participate in the Virtual Lobby Day by scheduling video or phone meetings with your representatives and senators to take place on Tuesday, July 21. Together, we will urge Congress to include NLIHC’s top priorities for housing stability in the next coronavirus relief package. Congress should:
- Provide $100 billion in emergency rental assistance to help low-income renters avoid evictions and homelessness;
- Pass a national, uniform moratorium on evictions;
- Provide $11.5 billion to help local communities address the pressing health and safety needs of people experiencing homelessness; and
- Provide at least $13 billion in additional funding for HUD and USDA housing programs to ensure housing stability during and after the pandemic.
Each of these provisions were in the “HEROES Act” and the “Emergency Housing Protections and Relief Act,” both of which were recently passed by the House of Representatives. But the Senate has so far failed to act. It must do so immediately.
Join us in demanding that Congress take immediate action to ensure housing stability for low-income renters and people experiencing homelessness.
Find information and resources from NLIHC to help make your Virtual Lobby Day a success here: https://bit.ly/2ZPbnzB
Thank you for your advocacy, service, and leadership.