During the most recent national call on coronavirus, disasters, housing, and homelessness, we discussed the latest actions and updates on the emergency rental assistance (ERA) program, heard about the Biden administration’s COVID-19 relief proposal, received an update on trends in eviction filings, and heard a field update from Arizona.
NLIHC’s Diane Yentel provided an overview of the Treasury Department’s recent guidance for the $25 billion in ERA enacted in the latest coronavirus relief package (see Memo, 12/22/20). Contrary to NLILHC’s recommendations, the guidance creates unnecessarily burdensome documentation requirements that would make it more difficult for renters to access funds and increase the administrative burden for ERA program administrators. NLIHC recommends Treasury rescind this guidance and issue new guidance that, among other needed improvements, allows the use of tenant self-declarations or self-attestations to ensure funds reach households most in-need of assistance as quickly as possible.
Peter Hepburn of Eviction Lab discussed eviction filing trends over the course of 2020. Eviction Lab’s findings indicate both total eviction filings and the pace of filings were lower than average in 2020 but have continued to increase despite the eviction moratorium issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Data also shows that Black renters and women are over-represented among those facing eviction. We received a field update from Joanna Carr of the Arizona Housing Coalition, and a Capitol Hill update from NLIHC’s Kim Johnson.
NLIHC hosts national calls on coronavirus, disasters, housing, and homelessness every week. On today’s call, we will be joined by Representative Maxine Waters (D-CA) and Senator Mark Warner (D-VA). Register for today’s call (Monday, January 25 at 2:30 pm ET) at: https://tinyurl.com/ru73qan
Watch a recording of the January 19 call at: tinyurl.com/y4mrayaq
Access presentation slides at: tinyurl.com/y38syj9w