Berkeleyside: This new website will help you respond to an eviction notice. “Thousands of California tenants lose their homes every year because they fail to submit that initial answer in court. Failing to check the right box or file a timely response could, indeed, trigger a default judgment against them. A group of tenant advocates and attorneys this month launched a tool they hope will change that.”
Washington Post: The feared eviction ‘tsunami’ has not yet happened. Experts are conflicted on why.. “When the Supreme Court decided to strike down a federal ban on evictions in August, lawmakers and housing experts mentioned a slew of devastating metaphors — cliff, tsunami, tidal wave — to describe the national eviction crisis they saw coming. One month later, however, many of those same authorities find themselves wondering: Where is the cliff?”
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: The CDC eviction moratorium has ended: Learn your options . “On August 26, 2021, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a decision ending the CDC eviction moratorium. If you’re unable to make your rent payments, you’re not alone — here are options and resources to help you get back on your feet.”
Washington Post: Last-minute eviction ban extension fuels confusion and is too late for some. “A last-minute extension of a moratorium barring evictions for covid-struck counties is injecting a new layer of confusion for millions of renters who had been on the verge of eviction and aren’t sure whether they’ve gotten a reprieve — and for some, it’s too late.”
Legal Services Corporation: New Eviction Laws Database Reveals Striking Differences in Eviction Processes Around the Country. “The Legal Services Corporation (LSC) launched the LSC Eviction Laws Database today, a new online tool that will aid users in better understanding the significant variation in eviction laws across the country and the effect these differences have on eviction outcomes. LSC produced the database in partnership with the Center for Public Health Law Research at Temple University’s Beasley School of Law. Users can examine the entire eviction legal process, from pre-filing to post-judgment, in different communities around the country.”
National Equity Atlas: Rent Debt in America: Stabilizing Renters Is Key to Equitable Recovery. “Our new rent debt dashboard, produced in partnership with the Right to the City Alliance, equips policymakers and advocates with data on the extent and nature of rent debt in their communities to inform policies to eliminate debt and prevent the specter of mass eviction.”
Financial Advisor: Eviction Filings By Big Landlords Surged After Trump Issued Ban. “Big landlords increased the number of eviction cases they filed after President Donald Trump announced his recent moratorium, signaling the struggle tenants face getting protection from the federal order. Institutional landlords filed more than 900 eviction cases across eight metropolitan areas from Sept. 2 to Sept. 8, according to data compiled by Private Equity Stakeholder Project, an activist group partly funded by organized labor. Landlords filed 165 cases in the same markets during the week of Aug. 3.”
Washington Post: 2020 is the summer of booming home sales — and evictions. “For Realtor James Dietsche, there is only one way to describe the real estate market right now: ‘It’s insane.’ A 1950s style three-bedroom home he listed in late June for $200,000 in a small town outside Harrisburg, Pa., received 26 offers the initial weekend it was for sale. Many buyers were young couples seeking a starter home and retirees looking to downsize. But bids also came from Philadelphia, New York City and the Washington, D.C., area. One person was willing to pay up to $50,000 above asking. Several were offering to buy it without inspections. While Dietsche’s cellphone has been ringing with eager buyers, Tammy Steen’s phone has been buzzing for a different reason. Her landlord keeps calling demanding the $700 rent she does not have.”
NPR: It ‘Looks Very Scary For Renters’ As Federal Eviction Relief Expiration Nears. “Millions of Americans are facing the threat of eviction as a federal moratorium that has protected renters during the pandemic is set to expire Friday. That eviction moratorium, coupled with unemployment assistance established in the CARES Act, has helped some renters stay in their homes. As the deadline has loomed, renters and local officials from Washington, D.C., to Houston have struggled to find a solution.”
Lifehacker: How to Try and Prevent Your Eviction. “If you’re struggling to pay rent and grappling with the possibility of eviction, you may have more options than you expect. But as the New York Times reports, the process of preventing eviction may take weeks, at a minimum—so the sooner you act, the better your chances are of staying in your home.”
Politico: Kamala Harris unveils housing plan as rent deadline looms. “Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) unveiled a sweeping housing plan Thursday to give struggling renters and homeowners relief as the coronavirus pandemic continues to pound the economy. The legislation, which Harris plans to introduce next week, would ban evictions and foreclosures for a year while giving tenants up to 18 months to pay back missed payments. The current federal ban on evictions — which only covers the roughly 1 in 4 rental units in the country with a federally backed mortgage — expires July 24.”
Phys .org: New data capture eviction laws in 40 US cities. “New data released today on LawAtlas.org describe a patchwork landscape of laws governing eviction in 40 of the largest US cities. Nearly 1 million households are evicted from their homes each year, a number that is likely compounded by the impact of COVID-19. Twelve states will lift their moratoriums on eviction between June 15 and August 31, affecting five of the 40 cities on the new LawAtlas maps—Charlotte, NC, Jacksonville, FL, Philadelphia, Phoenix, and Pittsburgh.”
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: CFPB, FHFA, & HUD Launch Joint Mortgage and Housing Assistance Website for Americans Impacted by COVID-19. “CFPB, FHFA and HUD are offering extensive CARES Act assistance and protection for Americans having trouble paying their mortgage or rent during the COVID-19 national health emergency. This joint website consolidates the CARES Act mortgage relief, protections for renters, resources for additional help, and information on how to avoid COVID-19 related scams. It also provides lookup tools for homeowners to determine if their mortgage is federally backed, and for renters to find out if their rental unit is financed by FHA, Fannie Mae, or Freddie Mac.”
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: Protections for renters during the coronavirus pandemic. “If you’re having trouble making rent payments as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, you are not alone. Across the country, many tenants are facing job losses, furloughs, or reduced hours, and having to make tough financial decisions in order to make ends meet. Fortunately, there are steps all renters can take, as well as many significant protections from eviction that apply in certain situations.”
Federal Housing Finance Agency: FHFA Announces Tools to Help Renters Find Out if They are Protected from Eviction. “To help renters find out if they are protected from evictions during the COVID-19 national health emergency, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) announced today that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the Enterprises) have created online multifamily property lookup tools. The property lookup tools allow renters to find out if the multifamily property where they reside has an Enterprise-backed mortgage. Under the CARES Act, renters living in a property with an Enterprise-backed mortgage are covered by a temporary eviction moratorium.”
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