Outstanding rent due to epidemic: Millions of U.S. citizens face eviction

2021 July 31 Saturday

Rent outstanding due to epidemic
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Although the United States has provided billions in aid to tenants during epidemics, only a small portion of it has been used so far. Evictions are now feared millions of times. The action to stop this will probably not be extended due to the corona.

Millions of people in the United States are threatened with homelessness as measures to protect them from evictions related to the corona epidemic expire Sunday. U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday urged Congress to extend the ban following the Supreme Court’s recent ban on the White House extension until September.

However, it is uncertain whether the Democrats will get the required majority in Congress because the move is controversial within their own party. In addition, “not a single Republican would support the move,” said Nancy Pelosi, chair of the House of Representatives.

Aid should also be distributed

Pelosi, a Democrat, called on governors and local governments to “take all necessary steps to distribute aid to tenants already provided by Congress.” Unlike other U.S. aid programs related to the corona epidemic, states, counties and cities are responsible for supporting tenants.

According to the Washington Treasury Department, less than $ 3 billion in rent and utility subsidies were paid to affected homes – a total of $ 25 billion was given to states and municipalities in early February.

Rent arrears

The U.S. Department of Health (CDC) has called for a ban on emissions in September 2020, following the loss of more than 20 million jobs in the world’s largest economy due to the epidemic. Officials feared that rising homelessness would also encourage cases of corona infection. Although many have now found work again, many families are still lagging behind in paying rent.

Of the 51 million tenants surveyed, 7.4 million are still pending in the first week of July, according to the Census Bureau. Half of them said they would face eviction in the next two months. By the end of June, about 450,000 American families had received assistance through the Emergency Assistance Program for Tenants. Accordingly, some states and municipalities have not yet paid any assistance.

The U.S. Treasury Department has launched a campaign over the past few days to provide information about the assistance program and to assist officials in implementing it. It referred to Virginia and Houston, where families of victims were successfully assisted.