While much of the U.S. is still under shelter in place orders, many households are feeling the stress about making their housing payments in May. However, United for a New Economy, a nonprofit organizing group, has created a grassroots effort to compel government leaders at all levels to suspend rent and mortgage payments during the pandemic until households can get back onto their feet, reports CityLab's Kriston Capps. In addition, the nonprofit asks to make rents fairer and more affordable once lockdowns end and calls on legislators to aid property owners.
This national movement — launched this week under the banner Our Homes, Our Health — brings together housing groups, community organizers, and tenant advocates to convince federal, state and local lawmakers to to suspend all rent and mortgage payments during the pandemic. No other approach will work, say the advocates with the National Housing Justice Grassroots Table, a coalition of groups that includes the Center for Popular Democracy, People’s Action, Partnership for Working Families, and Right to the City Alliance. Other supporters of the idea include New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez as well as Minnesota Representative Ilhan Omar, who earlier this month introduced a bill to suspend rent and mortgage payments through this crisis.
Still, the campaign acknowledges the strain that a national rent holiday would put on landlords. To protect these property owners, many of which are small mom-and-pop operations that work on slim margins, the campaign calls on lawmakers to both forgive rents and forbear mortgage payments.
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