Tag: eviction

America’s Eviction Crisis – How Lawyers Could Prevent It From Getting A Whole Lot Worse
Journalism

America’s Eviction Crisis – How Lawyers Could Prevent It From Getting A Whole Lot Worse

Jennifer Prusak, Vanderbilt University Lawyers may be the only thing standing in the way of eviction for millions of renters. With the end of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s eviction moratorium on Aug. 26, 2021, most landlords can now ask courts to evict tenants who haven’t been paying their rent. As a result, new eviction filings are already spiking across the country. Data shows that once an eviction court begins a case, it’s very likely the tenant will quickly be out on the street – unless they have legal representation. As the director of the Housing Law Clinic at Vanderbilt University Law School, I’ve seen firsthand the impact that legal representation can have on a renter navigating the eviction process. That is why I believe providing more tenants with ac...
Landlords Continued To Find Ways To Kick Renters Out Even With The Eviction Moratorium
SOCIETY

Landlords Continued To Find Ways To Kick Renters Out Even With The Eviction Moratorium

SOCIETY Matthew Fowle, University of Washington and Rachel Fyall, University of Washington Millions of renters in the U.S. lost a key protection keeping them in their homes on Aug. 26, 2021, with a Supreme Court ruling ending a national moratorium on eviction. The federal stay on evictions was put in place during the coronavirus pandemic to protect renters falling behind on monthly payments and therefore in danger of needing to stay at homeless shelters or with friends or relatives. This pandemic response was designed to keep tenants in their housing, prevent overcrowding in shelters and homes, and reduce the spread of COVID-19. In early August, 7.9 million renter households reported being in arrears, with 3.5 million saying they were at risk of eviction within two months. The large n...
What the CDC eviction ban means for tenants and landlords: 6 questions answered
BUSINESS

What the CDC eviction ban means for tenants and landlords: 6 questions answered

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued an order on Sept. 1 banning evictions of people who lost work as a result of the pandemic. To benefit, renters must sign a declaration that they don’t make more than US$99,000 a year or $198,000 for those filing a joint return and that they essentially have no options other than homelessness. But the order, which takes effect on Sept. 4, leaves some questions unanswered. We asked Katy Ramsey Mason, an assistant professor of law and director of the University of Memphis Medical-Legal Partnership Clinic, to answer some of them. 1. What does the order do? The order prohibits property owners from evicting covered tenants from any residential property because of nonpayment of rent before Dec. 31, 2020. It does not apply to any evictions that...
Another housing crisis is coming – and bailouts and eviction freezes won’t be enough to prevent many from losing their homes
IN OTHER NEWS

Another housing crisis is coming – and bailouts and eviction freezes won’t be enough to prevent many from losing their homes

Millions of Americans are suddenly out of work as the financial and economic crisis sparked by the coronavirus pandemic deepens. Without an income, most of these people will have a hard time covering their expenses, including keeping a roof over their heads. But even before the current crisis, tens of millions of Americans struggled to pay for housing, spending more than 30% – or even half – of their income on housing-related expenses. This leaves less money for other essentials such as food, health care and savings. Governments have offered a variety of plans to support those hurt by the coronavirus pandemic, from direct payments and higher unemployment checks to eviction freezes and mortgage relief. We are researchers who study the intersection of housing and health. While these measu...
IN OTHER NEWS

The Government Shutdown Put Thousands at Risk for Eviction

Officials worried about the loss of trust after the longest shutdown in U.S. history put 1.1 million low-income households at risk of eviction. The 35-day government shutdown wreaked havoc on millions of Americans lives and livelihoods as fewer food inspections took place, parks went uncleaned, museums shut their doors, airport lines grew longer, and whole agencies ground to a halt. The experience was especially distressing for those who depend on the federal government for their basic needs, including food and shelter. Thousands of furloughed employees—many living paycheck to paycheck—found themselves in line for free meals at pop-up kitchens and food pantries. Recipients of SNAP assistance worried whether their monthly benefits would end. And contractors with the D...