“Over the past 16 months, the COVID-19 pandemic has put extreme pressure on all Americans, and no one has borne the brunt of this more than those with the lowest incomes,” said Nan Roman, President & CEO of the National Alliance to End Homelessness. “Low-income people are at the highest risk of eviction; those who are evicted are at the highest risk of homelessness; and those who are homeless are at the highest risk of contracting COVID-19. The federal eviction moratorium broke this chain. But that protection has now been eliminated.”
“The Alliance calls on federal, state, and local leaders to do everything in their power to urgently improve access to emergency rental assistance programs for renters and for landlords. The current barriers to obtaining these resources are inexcusable in the face of a healthcare crisis, an economic emergency, and levels of homelessness that were rising even before the onset of the pandemic,” said Roman.
“The Alliance also calls upon members of Congress to recognize that this decision will have especially dire consequences for low-income households and people of color, who face disproportionate risk of both COVID-19 and homelessness. As they debate the next round of federal emergency funding, it is essential that they make the long-overdue healthcare and housing investments that will be required to offset the impact of a wave of evictions.”