NLIHC will host “Tenant Talk Live” – a webinar featuring (and for) renters and resident leaders – on Monday, March 7, at 6 pm ET. During this session, we will hear from tenants and others about their experiences with emergency rental assistance (ERA) programs across the country. Register for the webinar at: https://bit.ly/361rmy2
In December of 2020, Congress passed the first allocation of ERA through the “Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021.” A few months later, Congress passed the “American Rescue Plan Act of 2021,” which allocated additional ERA funds. Together, the two pieces of legislation provided states and localities with $46.55 billion in ERA to distribute to renters in need. Now, just over a year later, some programs are continuing to provide ERA, but others are closing due to a depletion of funds.
Over the last year, renters, program administrators, state and local agencies, nonprofit organizations, elected officials, and other stakeholders have learned much about what it takes to establish and operate a successful federal assistance program. NLIHC has worked together with community partners and renters to compile some of these lessons in the winter issue of Tenant Talk, our semiannual newsletter focusing on tenant advocacy. Released on February 24, the newest issue of the newsletter, Tenant Talk: Emergency Rental Assistance at All Angles, discusses the ins and outs of ERA, examines what we have learned from its implementation, and offers a range of renter perspectives on ERA.
The upcoming Tenant Talk Live will celebrate the release of the new issue and offer a space for renters to come together and discuss their thoughts and experiences with emergency rental assistance. NLIHC will be joined by ERA advocates like Dr. Tolulope Ola, founder and executive director of Minnesota’s Restoration for All, Inc.; Foluke Akanni of Housing Action Illinois; and Rebekah Love, a renter with lived experience using ERA. We hope you will join us as we reflect on a year of ERA and discuss what eviction prevention might look like in the future.
Remember: Tenant Talk Live would not be possible without tenants like you! We strive to connect and engage with tenants and tenant leaders through our webinars. If you are a low-income tenant and have a topic you would like to propose for an upcoming Tenant Talk Live, or if you would like to participate as a speaker on an upcoming call or webinar, please email: [email protected]
Register for next week’s Tenant Talk Live webinar at: bit.ly/361rmy2
Access a digital copy of the new edition of Tenant Talk at: bit.ly/3vuVDnd
Sign up to receive a paper copy of the new edition of Tenant Talk at: https://nlihc.wufoo.com/forms/z172cq1w0jo1lch/
Stay up to date on Tenant Talk Live events via Facebook group