As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to worsen, another crisis is about to hit the country—evictions.
The number of evictions is expected to balloon as expanded unemployment benefits end this month, moratoriums expire, and families run out of their savings.
Researchers estimate that 19 to 23 million, or one in five of the 110 million Americans in renter households, are at risk of eviction by the end of September.
The crisis could be staggering. In Colorado alone, nearly 500,000 people could face eviction risk in the coming months, according to an initial analysis by the COVID-19 Eviction Defense Project, an initiative formed in the state in March.
Other states face similar troubles as the health emergency has put millions of people out of work and impacted the economy across the country.
Although the full impact of the pandemic remains unknown, especially as COVID-19 cases continue to rise in many areas, an increase in evictions is being seen across the country, according to Sarah Saadian, vice president of public policy at the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC).
“There are a lot of indicators that this is a nationwide problem that’s just going to get worse unless Congress provides direct rental assistance and other protections,” she says.
Adding to the problem is that nearly 30 states saw their eviction moratoriums expire by July 1, and another nine or 10 are about to end in August, according to Saadian.
“One of our biggest concerns is increasing homelessness at a time when it’s becoming even more clear that the ability to stay safely housed is health care,” she says.
In addition, evictions could hurt people of color most. Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers and the nonprofit City Life/Vida Urbana recently reported that eviction filings in Boston disproportionately affect neighborhoods of color, particularly those with a large share of Black renters. The study began before the current health crisis, but the new report points out that the pandemic will only exacerbate the problem.
In Massachusetts, the WinnCompanies, the largest operator of affordable housing in the state, announced last week that it is extending its moratorium on tenant evictions for financial hardship through the end of the year at its properties throughout the commonwealth. The extension applies to residents eligible under the state Department of Housing and Community Development’s COVID-19 moratorium guidelines, according to the firm.
Data has also shown that low-wage workers have been particularly hard hit by jobs loss during COVID-19.
Call for More Rental Assistance
NLIHC is pushing Congress to take action in the next coronavirus package, including expanding the moratorium on evictions that
was in the earlier CARES package so that it is uniform across all
jurisdictions, applies to all renters, and lasts for a longer period of time.
The organization also supports $100 billion in emergency rental assistance to prevent evictions and homelessness. This funding was included in the HEROES Act, which recently passed in the House of Representatives.
The Council of Large Public Authorities has also called for a
significant expansion of the federal Housing Choice Voucher
program, saying the move provides protections for both landlords and renters.
Some recent reports have shown that a large number of households have managed to keep up with their rent payments so far, but that’s likely because of several factors, including the expanded unemployment benefits and one-time stimulus checks.
Rent trackers also don’t account for how people are making their rent payments. Some families may be drawing down on the last of their savings, charging their rent to credit cards, or making their payments by forgoing other expenses and needs.
They are taking steps so they can stay in their homes, but it’s not a sustainable solution, according to Saadian.
She points to the huge demand for rental assistance that existed before the health crisis as well as those that have been established during the pandemic. For example, a $15 million program to help Houston residents pay the rent was closed after just 90 minutes because of the demand.
“There are underlying structural issues that are going to lead to more people facing eviction,” she says.
