Evictions
Chart Courtesy of The Aspen Institute
Updated Sept 3, 2020
A new executive order from the Trump Administration being executed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will hold off millions of expected September evictions of people who won’t be able to pay rent or mortgages because they’ve lost their jobs. However, the new policy doesn't provide help for landlords and mortgage holders who are losing revenue on their buildings.
Renée Cherez of the Anti-Racism Daily newsletter reported Aug. 31 that “of the 110 million Americans living in renter households, the COVID-19 Eviction Defense Project found that between 19 [million] and 23 million people will be at risk for eviction by September 30th (CEDP). The project was created in response to the pandemic and the housing crisis it exacerbates by pairing legal experts with tenants who need legal advice or legal representation.”
Ms. Cherez continued: “In July, 32% of U.S. households were unable to make their full housing payments, while 19% missed payment all together (CNBC). At the height of the pandemic, 44.2 million Americans filed for unemployment (Fortune). This past week, one million new unemployment claims were filed, which begs how people can pay their housing costs without a reliable income (CNBC)?
“ … Unemployment has reached unprecedented numbers in America, making it even more infuriating that people are facing eviction. During the Great Recession of 2008, unemployment peaked at 10.7% over two years. In May, unemployment reached as high as 14.4% (in 3 months) due to COVID-19 (Pew Research).
“Unsurprisingly, evictions have a tremendous effect on low-income women, particularly women from Black neighborhoods. A research study in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, found that Black women only make up 9.6% of the population, yet they make up 30% of all evictions. Nationally, 8% of Latinx women and 20% of Black women are evicted each year (Aspen Institute).
“The National Low Income Housing Coalition is calling for a national uniformed 12-month moratorium on evictions.”
The problem of housing evictions is widespread and complicated. “Ideally, the federal government would fund renter assistance,” says the Aspen Institute. “The US House of Representatives’ HEROES Act, passed in May, would authorize a $100 billion fund, but the Senate is unlikely to agree to that amount. It might also not be enough. The National Low Income Housing Coalition calls $100 billion the minimum viable amount; the National Apartment Association and National Multifamily Housing Council, which each represent landlords and property managers, estimate that renters may need $144 billion in assistance.”
As big as the problem remains, United Methodists can take steps right now to ease some of the pressures on those facing the loss of their home.
United Methodist Women
Living Wage
UMW Poster for A Living Wage Campaign.
First, United Methodists can join in advocating on behalf of renters and homeowners by asking congressional representatives to take action on housing stability. Anti-Racism Daily recommends an email template from the National Low Income Housing Coalition for this purpose.
Second, while evictions will loom again in a few months because of COVID-19, the question of affordable housing and a living wage are long-term issues. The pandemic has exposed how issues of inadequate wages and housing hit people of color the hardest in the United States. United Methodist Women has a poster about its campaign for a living wage that offers some information about the issue.
30 Days of Anti-Racism
Inspired by campus minister Morgan Stafford, the General Commission on Religion and Race is sponsoring "30 Days of Anti-Racism" beginning Sept. 1. The observance offers a calendar of actions that United Methodists can take to become "more anti-racist in the ways we think and act," says the GCORR website.
As part of the project, GCORR invites white allies and others to post photos of their activities on social media activities using the hashtag #30DaysAntiRacism. "Encourage your friends, members of your congregation, Sunday school class, pastors, and community partners to join this 30-day [event]," says the website.
Media Mentions as of Aug. 31
Amid virus lockdowns, prison ministry groups had to adapt – The Associated Press
How Black Lives Matter is changing the church – The New Yorker *
Health insurance and the COVID-19 shock – Economic Policy Institute
Haitian-born pastor and her Bradenton church find new ways to connect during COVID-19 – Bradenton Herald
COVID adds challenges for new UMC pastor – High Point Enterprise
Area ministries continue to feed the hungry during COVID – Myhorrynews
New pastor at La Grange church adjusting to changes during COVID-19 – Suburban Life Publications