Fiscal Note
No appropriation required.
Title
Calling upon President Biden and the U.S. Congress to provide additional assistance to the rental housing community.
Body
WHEREAS, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to negatively impact all aspects of our daily life; and,
WHEREAS, to protect public health and slow transmission of this highly contagious communicable virus, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and state and local departments of public health have issued various orders which have limited economic activity and contributed to unemployment in certain sectors; and,
WHEREAS, individuals exposed to COVID-19 may be temporarily unable to report to work due to illness caused by COVID-19 or quarantines related to COVID-19; and,
WHEREAS, individuals directly affected by COVID-19 may experience loss of income and expensive health care and medical coverage making it impossible to fulfill their rent payment obligations; and,
WHEREAS, the inability of renters to pay their rent directly impacts the nation’s housing providers who depend on rent payments to make their mortgage and insurance payments, maintain their apartment buildings, pay their utility and refuse removal bills, and meet their property tax obligations that fund our community services; and,
WHEREAS, the majority of our nation’s housing rental stock is owned and maintained by small and mid-sized housing providers who lack the reserves to absorb any loss of monthly rental income; and,
WHEREAS, since the beginning of the pandemic, many housing providers have worked closely with their residents by creating flexible rent payment plans, waiving fees and connecting residents with social services; and,
WHEREAS, state and local governments have created rental assistance programs to assist renters and housing providers make ends meet; and,
WHEREAS, in recognition of the impact on housing of this public health crisis, the United States Congress has approved $25 billion in direct emergency rental as...
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