A complicated problem compounded!

Many Renters Who Face Eviction Owe Less Than $600 write the New York Times … and that was in December, well before the historic job losses of this Spring.

Each year, 3.6 million eviction filings work their way through U.S. courts. With workers losing their jobs or getting furloughed, tenant advocates worry more people will be affected.

Now millions of people in America are under shelter-in-place orders requiring them to stay home whenever possible, but a growing number don’t have that luxury. Their landlords are kicking them out for not paying the rent, despite moratoriums on evictions in more than 30 states and dozens of cities.

According to Time magazine in late April, of this year “Housing attorneys say that they’ve seen a flood of similar cases nationwide since the economic collapse precipitated by the spread of COVID-19. Only 69% of apartment tenants had paid their monthly rent by April 5, according to the National Multifamily Housing Council, down from 81% the previous month.

As the pandemic progresses, ordinances, stimulus, and moratoriums are constantly being presented so that Americans who might have lost their jobs will not have to worry about also losing their homes.

Yet even with such safeguards in place, some landlords and lenders are not playing by the rules.

Whether you rent or own, whether you’re unemployed or underemployed, whether you’re behind on the rent or just barely scraping by, you have every right to be made aware of these new protections. You never know when you might need to take advantage of them.

The researchers at Invisible People offer a brief overview of COVID-related legislation to help you fight eviction and avoid becoming homeless. This could be invaluable for your neighbor … or even you. Invisible People is a website dedicated to presenting the faces and stories of those who are homeless.