The CDC federal eviction moratorium was just extended through October 3rd thanks to the hard work of Black congresswoman Cori Bush (MO-01), progressives, and other activists. Together, they protested and exerted political pressure while the majority of representatives from both parties adjourned for summer vacation. However, questions remain as to what will happen when this short-lived moratorium yet again expires and if/when there will be long term relief. Federal renters’ aid is also at issue as only $3 billion of a $45 billion relief package has been distributed to renters.
The New York eviction moratorium is expiring at the end of this month and thousands of New Yorkers are in danger of losing their homes. These evictions will disproportionately affect BIPOC and poor and working class folks. New York tenants have been promised rent relief, yet they have received little to no aid from the state's Emergency Rental Assistance Program despite its initial rollout in June. Since then, New Yorkers have received a grand total of $117,000 in rent relief, which is only enough to cover one month of rent for less than 100 people.
While thousands are facing eviction at the end of the month, the currently unhoused population in NYC is dealing with forced transfers and street sweeps despite the risk of exacerbating the spread of the Delta Variant. Shelter residents who had been temporarily moved to hotels for pandemic safety are now being purged from them after the mayor caved to the pressure of wealthy, mostly white communities balking at the presence of unhoused people in their neighborhoods. Some unhoused citizens are being sent to high risk environments of congregate shelters and others, who may have medical issues, are being sent to hotels which are not equipped to meet their needs.
Locally, we need to put pressure on the mayor to reach just solutions to homelessness. On the federal and state levels we most focus on distributing rent relief and maintaining eviction moratoriums. The Housing Justice Coalition will be demanding an extension on the eviction moratorium until the end of June, 2022.
In solidarity,
SURJ NYC