Imminent U.S. eviction raises growing concerns and calls for action. Housing News

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Concerns after the U.S. are increasing Suspension of eviction rents nationwide During the coronavirus pandemic that ended this weekend, millions of Americans could be homeless as early as Monday morning.

Freeze expulsion Expires at midnight On Saturday, it sparked a battle for billions of dollars in rent assistance and spurred accusations in Washington, DC.

After the launch of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) last year, renters were exempted from eviction impose Suspended keeping people at home during the COVID-19 crisis, which has caused more than 613,000 deaths across the United States Hit the economy severely.

But legislators failed to expand the scope of these protections. Of the $25 billion in aid allocated to states and localities in early February, only $3 billion went to families.

According to the Associated Press, as the suspension order expires, more than 3.6 million Americans are at risk of deportation, some of whom will be deported within a few days.

Eric Dunn, director of litigation for the National Housing Law Project, told Al Jazeera that the situation will vary from state to state, depending on whether state and local eviction protection measures are in place.

But in some areas of the country, landlords have been able to start the eviction process during the CDC suspension, Dunn explained that they have prepared an eviction order.

“In some jurisdictions, especially in the southern United States, such as Florida… On Monday morning, the sheriff’s deputy can actually start taking tenants to the street,” he said. “In many places, we can see tenants not only being prosecuted and evicted, but also quickly being relocated.”

‘too late’

With the clock ticking before the ban expires, the country is ready to welcome heartbreaking families whose belongings are not knowing where to go by the side of the road.

One of the people at risk is Terriana Clark. She lived in a car with her husband and two stepchildren for most of last year, and then found a teaching job and a set in Harvey, Louisiana. apartment.

The 27-year-old woman was unemployed again after she fell ill and was unable to pay her rent. She told the New Orleans Advocate that she applied for a local aid program four months ago but is still waiting for help.

“If it comes, it comes. If it doesn’t, then it doesn’t,” she told the newspaper. “It’s too late for many people. Many people will be outside.”

Protesters protested at the “No Deportation, No Police” National Day of Action in New York City, protesting against the forcible removal of people from their homes by law enforcement agencies [File: Angela Weiss/AFP]

The latest family pulse survey by the Census Bureau shows that of the 51 million renters surveyed, 7.4 million are in arrears, and nearly half of them say they At the risk of being deported In the next two months.

According to a study by the Jain Family Research Institute, as of early July, nearly 80% of households in rent arrears live in coronavirus hotspots.U.S. saw it COVID-19 infections surge, Mainly due to spread Delta variant.

Mary Hunt drove a medical taxi to earn the minimum wage, but due to COVID-19, she defaulted on the rent of the mobile home. She received the deportation document and was worried about what she would do with her property and her five cats and one dog.

“How do I choose which cat to keep? This will not happen. I will not leave any of them,” Hunter told National Public Radio this week.

Call for action

At the same time, this situation has triggered mutual accusations and increasing calls for action in the US capital.

A few hours before the expiration of the ban, US President Joe Biden called on local governments to “take all possible measures” to allocate funds immediately. He said in a statement: “There is no excuse in any state or place not to expedite the provision of funds to landlords and tenants who have been harmed during the pandemic.”

But lawmakers, including some in Biden’s own Democratic Party, said they were caught off guard by the president’s inaction as the midnight deadline approached on Saturday. Some people expressed anger at his call on Congress to provide a last-minute solution to protect renters.

Al Jazeera’s Mike Hanna reported in Washington, D.C. He said that as the suspension draws to a close, many of the “slow response” questions of Congress and the White House remain unanswered.

“The situation you encountered is that this is a well-known thing, and the deadline was known a month ago. Until the last minute, neither the White House nor Congress took action on this. The result. [is that] Millions of Americans are now facing deportation,” Hannah said.

As Bush camped outside the Capitol and asked the House of Representatives to reconvene a meeting to extend the deportation protection measures, the Progressive Democrats joined Congresswoman Corey Bush on Saturday night and Sunday night.

“I don’t plan to leave before some kind of change happens,” Bush said, even though the U.S. House of Representatives has already left for the August recess.

Democratic Rep. Alexander Ocasio-Cortez said on Sunday that the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives had the opportunity to extend the moratorium, but failed to do so.

“Frankly, there are a few conservative Democrats in the House threatening to board the plane instead of holding this vote. We can really only speak out. When the House of Representatives Democrats have a majority, we cannot sincerely blame the Republicans,” she said. Said in an interview with CNN’s State of the Union program.

However, she said that the White House will not take its stand until the day before the House of Representatives adjourns.

“I think the House of Representatives is in an unnecessary predicament,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “The fact is that the problem is here. The House of Representatives should reconvene and vote and extend the suspension order.”



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