Dear DHRC members and partners,

Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI) will be joining our next national call on coronavirus, disaster, housing, and homelessness on Monday, September 21, from 2:30pm to 4:00pm ET! We will hear about how the federal eviction moratorium is being implemented in communities, learn about a 30-day campaign for stimulus payment outreach, and receive updates from communities impacted by the recent natural disasters. We also will hear the latest from Capitol Hill on COVID-19 relief and disaster supplemental bills. Register for the call here: https://tinyurl.com/ru73qan

Evidence is growing that corporate landlords are trying to rush evictions through court systems before renters learn about their rights under the CDC eviction moratorium. The moratorium protects eligible renters that have signed a declarative statement, but most renters remain unaware of the moratorium and the steps they must take to protect their homes!

NLIHC and the National Housing Law Project (NHLP) sent a letter to Treasury, HUD, USDA, and FHFA, urging the agencies to immediately direct federally supported rental property owners and housing authorities to provide tenants written notice of their rights and steps they must take to be protected.

Please do all you can to get the word out about the moratorium and declarations to all renters!  Urge your members of Congress and policy makers at all levels to inform struggling constituents of their protections under the CDC order. Details about the moratorium and a sample declaration can be found on NLIHC’s National Moratorium webpage that includes materials developed by NLIHC, NHLP, and other national partners, including:

• Overview of National Eviction Moratorium
• National Eviction Moratorium: FAQ for Renters (translated into Spanish)
• Sample declarative statements in English, Spanish, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese, and Arabic

Additional updates below.

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Disaster Housing Recovery Update, Thursday, September 17, 2020

Please note we are changing the frequency of our DHRC updates. We will send DHRC updates, which will include information about the COVID-19 pandemic and natural disasters, on Monday and Thursday. Coronavirus Updates

Join Ta-Nehisi Coates, National Book Award winner and distinguished writer in residence at NYU’s Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute, and NLIHC for a conversation on “Racial Equity and Housing Justice during and after COVID-19” on October 6, at 1pm ET. Register for the live-stream event at: https://bit.ly/3io8Q7Q. Submit questions for Ta-Nehisi through the registration page or via social media using #RacialEquityandCOVID!

NLIHC is maintaining a COVID-19/Housing and Homelessness News and Resource page here.  
NLIHC’s National Eviction Moratorium resource page provides important information about the federal moratorium and resources to ensure every renter knows about the protection and takes the steps necessary to stay in their home.

ICYMI: NHLP’s Eric Dunn joined Monday’s (9/14) Tenant Talk Live to discuss the latest updates on the CDC eviction moratorium. Watch a recording of the call here.

NLIHC released a blog post breaking down the latest results from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Household Survey released on September 9. The responses reveal that many renters continue to struggle to afford their housing.

National Updates

Advocacy

NLIHC’s DHRC will continue to push for a broad array of resources and protections, including emergency rental assistance and eviction prevention assistance, a national moratorium on evictions and foreclosures, and emergency funds for homelessness service providers, housing authorities, and housing providers, among other recommendations. For more information, see DHRC’s full list of recommendations.

NLIHC Vice President of Public Policy Sarah Saadian and Gillian Branstetter of the National Women’s Law Center penned an op-ed in the Appeal about the Trump administration’s efforts to enact a rule change that would allow homeless shelters to discriminate on the basis of gender identity or expression. “The timing of this proposed rollback is especially egregious, as COVID-19 is continuing to wreak havoc on the nation’s health and economic systems,” writes Sarah and Gillian. “If trans people cannot access shelter and services, it will become much harder for them to get the resources they need to stay safe and socially distance during this public health emergency.”

Reporting

Bloomberg reports eviction filings by corporate landlords surged after the CDC enacted its recent moratorium. Institutional landlords filed more than 900 eviction cases across eight metropolitan areas from September 2 to September 8, according to the Private Equity Stakeholder Project. The increase in evictions highlights key challenges to implementing the moratorium.

A Popular Information investigation reveals 62 corporate landlords who have received taxpayer bailouts are pursuing evictions despite the federal moratorium. Landlords are trying to exploit the fact the moratorium is not self-executing.

Bloomberg reports that in many cities, landlords are filing far fewer eviction filings since the CDC imposed a federal moratorium on September 4. “New filings did drop in all sites, in some cases dramatically,” says Peter Hepburn of Princeton University’s Eviction Lab. “With that being said, we’re still seeing a larger number of new filings in several cities.” Hepburn points to the significant variation in how the federal moratorium is being implemented.

The New York Times reports that interpretations of the CDC eviction moratorium vary state to state, and even judge to judge. Housing advocates and legal aid lawyers are working to inform tenants of their rights under the moratorium and discussing the need for uniform enforcement of the federal order.

Axios spoke to Matthew Desmond, Pulitzer Prize-winning author and professor who leads Princeton University’s Eviction Lab, about the CDC eviction moratorium. “[F]rom a tenant’s point of view, this eviction moratorium is a giant reprieve. But it doesn’t solve their problem, which is, ‘What am I going to do when my bill comes due?” said Desmond.

BeLatina reports on the disproportionate impact of the pandemic and its economic fallout on communities of color. As federal COVID-19 assistance becomes scarce, underserved communities fear losing their homes.

State and Local News

A list of state and local emergency rental assistance programs is available here from NLIHC.

Alaska

AlaskaLawHelp.org has recently updated self-help information regarding COVID-19, evictions, and housing rights in Alaska. There is a new FAQ about evictions during the COVID-19 pandemic on the Alaska Court System website.

Arizona

A new study found that Arizona has one of the highest eviction and foreclosure rates in the country. People on fixed incomes and those without health insurance were at high risk for losing their homes. “The pandemic is exacerbating all of these vulnerabilities that already exist,” said Lora Phillips, a research with Arizona State University.

Arkansas

KNWA reports court data indicate evictions in Arkansas have increased by 40% from July. Rental assistance is needed to prevent a wave of evictions when the CDC moratorium expires, and Arkansas’ rental assistance is insufficient to meet the overwhelming need for aid. The article cites NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel’s tweet about growing evidence that corporate landlords are trying to rush evictions through the courts before tenants learn about their rights under the federal moratorium.

California

Governor Gavin Newsom announced on September 16 nearly $76.5 million in Project Homekey funds will be awarded to seven local jurisdictions for 10 projects totaling 579 units.

San Jose and Contra Costa County are among the first to be awarded Project Homekey funds. Kern County was awarded nearly $15 million from Project Homekey to acquire four sites totaling 151 units for permanent supportive housing. San Jose and Contra Costa County were also awarded Project Homekey funds. View the complete list of the first round of awards here.

The California Department of Housing and Urban Development is amending the NOFA for the Community Development Block Grant Coronavirus (CDBG-CV1) Response Round 1 (CDBG-CV1) to extend the application deadline for jurisdictions contemplating the use of federal funds for properties purchased with Project Homekey funds from September 21, 2020 to February 1, 2021.

City officials in the Bay Area promised to stop sweeping homeless encampments during the pandemic, but some cities, including San Jose, Oakland, and San Francisco, have repeatedly dismantled camps.

California state housing officials released an interactive website for tenants and landlords to understand their rights under the new coronavirus anti-eviction rules enacted in the Tenant Relief Act of 2020.

Florida

The Orlando Sentinel reports the final families of the Star Motel in Kissimmee -- with no power, running water, or functional sewer system -- are being moved out of the motel this week by Osceola County and local nonprofits. The Hope Center received $50,000 from the CARES Act to move these individuals into safe, sanitary, and decent housing, primarily into hotel rooms throughout Osceola County.

Illinois

Fox Illinois reports on the CDC’s eviction moratorium, highlighting NLIHC’s FAQ sheet and resources to help inform tenants about their rights under the moratorium and what steps they must take to be protected. "It provides essential protection for many struggling renters, but it doesn't take effect automatically," said NLIHC’s Diane Yentel about the federal moratorium.

Indiana

Monroe County judges and attorneys are concerned that the CDC moratorium will not prevent evictions and are scrambling to determine how the federal ban applies locally.

Maryland

An op-ed in the Baltimore Sun discusses why the CDC eviction moratorium is not enough to prevent evictions in Maryland. The authors examine why Maryland Judiciary’s guidance on the federal ban will limit its effectiveness and outline policy solutions to address the looming crisis.

Minnesota

Minnesota’s $100 million COVID-19 Housing Assistance Program launched on August 24 and is currently accepting applications. Learn more about the program here.

Nevada

According to the Nevada Current, legal aid groups in Nevada report that some landlords and property managers are defying eviction protections and still attempting to evict people. The policy director for the Nevada Coalition of Legal Service Providers says some landlords have been attempting to use no-cause eviction notices to work around the moratorium.

New Mexico

Saranam, an Albuquerque nonprofit working to end family homelessness, is bringing 10 new families, including 21 children, into its program. Saranam provides fully-furnished apartments for families and additional resources, such as vocational training, further education, or life skills. The pandemic serves as a reminder that a job and steady income is critical to keeping families from becoming homeless, says the director of the program.

New Jersey

Two nonprofits have received grants totaling $2.35 million from the New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund to provide legal representation and housing counseling to renters facing the threat of eviction. Many renters are unaware of their rights, leaving them more vulnerable to eviction. Advocates hope these grants will prevent a looming eviction crisis by helping at-risk tenants understand their rights and navigate the complex legal system.

New York

New York Daily News reports the city’s Department of Homeless Services sent a letter to residents at the Harmonia shelter, a Manhattan homeless shelter for those with special needs, a week after many of them were ordered to leave the facility they have called home for years. The letter did not provide information on the residents’ futures. “We appreciate that the city has finally begun to communicate directly with our clients,” said Josh Goldfein of the Legal Aid Society. “The distressing uncertainty they are currently experiencing will not be resolved until the mayor renounces his rushed shelter shuffle plan and offers a real route to permanent housing.”

Dozens of people gathered outside the Lucerne hotel and marched to Carl Shurz Park to protest Mayor Bill de Blasio’s decision to displace the families at the Harmonia shelter to make space for the 300 men temporarily residing at the Upper West Side hotel.

Oklahoma

The Tulsa Housing Authority launched a $20 million Emergency Rental Assistance Program, funded through the CARES Act, in late August. More than 4,400 Tulsa households have applied for more than $6.7 million in rent assistance.

Texas

Houston Public Media reviewed approximately 100 cases heard in Harris County during the first week of the CDC eviction moratorium and found that only one of those cases was halted by the federal order.

An op-ed in the Brownwood Bulletin outlines why the city of Austin cannot alone protect renters from eviction. Federal rent relief is needed to prevent a rise in homelessness when the CDC moratorium expires. The authors urge Austinites to call their senators and tell them to pass the HEROES Act, which includes $100 billion in rental assistance and other critical housing
provisions and protections.

Washington

Several Seattle landlords have filed lawsuits against eviction moratoriums enacted by the city and state of Washington. Governor Jay Inslee extended a statewide moratorium on residential evictions through October 15, and Mayor Jenny Durkan extended an order from March prohibiting Seattle landlords from evicting residents through December 31.

Guidance

Department of Housing and Urban Development

COVID-19 Homeless System Response: ESG-CV Quarterly Reporting Calendar
Suspension and Waiver of the HOME Program Consortium Qualification Deadline in Response to COVID-19 Pandemic – September 11

State and Local Guidance

Natural Disaster Updates

Learn more about the DHRC’s policy recommendations here.

Wildfires in the West

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on September 16 announced the availability of assistance for residents and agricultural producers affected by the recent wildfires.

California (DR-4558-CA)

Federal Response

• The major disaster declaration for California wildfires has been amended to provide more federal assistance to affected areas via FEMA’s Public Assistance (PA) program.

Reporting

• The Desert Sun reports farmworker groups have said workers have received virtually no N95 masks, but state and agriculture groups allege they have distributed millions.

Oregon (DR-4562-OR)

Federal Response

• The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced on September 17 federal disaster assistance for Oregon to support homeowners and low-income renters displaced from their homes in areas affected by wildfires.

• FEMA on September 15 announced President Trump approved a major disaster declaration for Oregon. Individual Assistance is available to individuals in eight counties. Emergency protective measures, including direct federal assistance through FEMA’s Public Assistance program, is available for 20 counties. Federal funding is available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

Reporting

• The Portland Business Journal reports on concerns that the challenges facing people who are homeless – including the more than 2,000 people in Multnomah County who live outdoors – will escalate, even after the wildfire smoke dissipates. “I worry that we will end up with a humanitarian crisis this winter with the homeless considerably beyond what we have seen in the past because of this series of crises, the limitations on funding, and conflicting priorities in homeless policy,” said the executive director of the Mid-Willamette Valley Community Action Agency in Salem.
• Street Roots reports on the health risks facing people experiencing homelessness in Portland amidst the toxic air and difficulty accessing resources. Advocates fear that long hold times for people contacting the 211 line are hindering access to shelters and resources for unsheltered individuals seeking assistance.
• The Statesman Journal reports on the hazardous smoke conditions facing the more than 1,000 unsheltered individuals in Marion and Polk counties. Advocates in Salem are taking steps to protect unsheltered individuals amid the wildfires and ongoing pandemic.

Local Resources

• Resources from Oregon Law Help (translated into Spanish)
• The Lebanon Express compiled a list of wildfire assistance resources.

Hurricane Sally

• President Trump approved emergency declarations for Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi in response to Hurricane Sally.

Alabama (EM-3545-AL)

Federal Response

• FEMA announced on September 15 President Trump approved Alabama’s emergency declaration in response to Hurricane Sally. 

Florida (EM-3546-FL)

Federal Response

• FEMA announced on September 16 President Trump approved Florida’s emergency declaration. Emergency protective measures (Category B), including direct federal assistance under the Public Assistance program, have been approved for seven counties. Public Assistance (Category B) emergency protective measures, limited to direct federal assistance, is approved for six counties.

Louisiana (EM-3543-LA)

Reporting

• In response to a question from the Lens about New Orleans’ plan for housing the unsheltered population during Hurricane Sally, Mayor LaToya Cantrell said the city has enough shelter beds for anyone who needs one. The city has reported an increase in people experiencing homelessness in recent weeks.

General Resources & Events

The Sierra Club examines the impact of natural disasters on people living with disabilities. The unfolding eviction crisis could leave millions of people with disabilities homeless amid the ongoing public health crisis and increasingly severe natural disasters. Inclusivity experts, disability advocates, and individuals with disabilities are calling attention to our country’s systemic failure to address the needs of people with disabilities in disaster preparedness and response.