LANSING, Mich. — As eviction moratoriums end across the country homeowners and renters are facing a crisis. Many are on the verge of becoming homeless. Some cities and towns are pleading with Congress for another round of Coronavirus relief aid. Chris Conte shows why those federal emergency funds have been a critical lifeline for so many.
The dog days of summer, have provided little in the way of relief .. for Americans on the verge of eviction.
One of them is Lovering Hayward who hasn't had work in months.
"I’m searching for employment every day"
With no income coming in, she can't pay her rent.
People are reluctant to say they need some sort of charity.
"it’s pretty scary, it’s pretty scary"
Amanda Berman is the Director of Housing and Community Development in Newton, Massachusetts, a wealthy suburb near Boston.
But even some of the nation's wealthiest cities ... are realizing their residents are immune from economic impact of the pandemic.
"this was there all along, we’ve been having a housing crisis forever, this is exposing how deep the cracks are"
Through the CAREs Act, this city was able to secure two million dollars in emergency housing funds.
To spread the money out as best they could, Newton decided to assist people in low-income housing with 70 percent of their rent.
170 families have been helped since March.
"You fight and fight to get ahead and something like this throws you back really far"
Nationally, 20 percent of households missed their rent payments last month.
Housing experts say that number is likely to sky rocket in September as extra unemployment funding and rental assistance money disappears.
The real estate industry will go through massive changes here in the next few months.
Jeff Larabee is aparment landlord. He's had some tenants not make rent and is advising anyone who's fallen behind on payments to talk to their landlord about options.
Right now, with tenants not paying, he's concerned about his own finances.
"I think there’s going to be a lot more homelessness, I don’t know how were going to make all the mortgage payments "
Back in Newton, they're trying to help low income residents as best they can.
Instead of paying 70 percent of people's rent the city is considering dropping that percentage.
And reaching out to the Department of Housing and Urban Development to see if any other money is out there.
"We got to this point by ignoring the reality and I don’t know, it’s pretty scary"
A scary reality, that so many Americans are stuck in.
President Trump did sign an executive order last weekend meant to prevent evictions.
But the order does not offer immediate assistance to help families who are struggling financially and at risk of losing their homes
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