Helping low-income renters during coronavirus pandemic

CECD's position on how to help low income renters as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. We urge our elected officials to:

• Place a moratorium on eviction filings until the crisis is over.  An eviction filing against a tenant becomes a part of the public record, even if an eviction doesn't take place.  This can have a chilling effect on the tenant's ability to rent in the future.
• Place a moratorium on foreclosure filings against landlords that provide affordable rental units.   Landlords of affordable housing, like their tenants, are especially vulnerable in this crisis.  They tend to operate on thinner margins and have less ability to self-fund losses.  If tenants can't pay rent, landlords can't pay their mortgage or maintain their property.  In the 2008 financial crisis, many small landlords lost their buildings and were replaced by institutional investors with no ties to the community.
• Establish a city rental assistance program which prioritizes lower income renters.  Chicago offered a small program of rental assistance, available to 2,000 renters.  Over 80,000 applied.  National housing groups will be advocating for $100B in rental assistance in the next federal bill, to be distributed by local governments.