Read on Twitter
THREAD on rent payment trackers, what they do and don’t tell us about renters at risk of eviction during COVID-19, and why we need #RentReliefNow
. @ApartmentWire has been tracking rent payments across 12m apartments. The data they publicly share are a combination of Class A apartments (luxury), Class B (market rate) and Class C (older, lower cost). Low income people tend to live in Class C properties.
The @ApartmentWire tracker shows only a small decline in overall rent payments compared with the same time last year, which suggests that renters are doing ok. But the data are missing/masking important information. https://www.nmhc.org/research-insight/nmhc-rent-payment-tracker/
1)The @ApartmentWire tracker doesn’t include rent payments for small properties (1-4 units) where about half of low-wage renters live. These are the very renters at highest risk of COVID-19 related unemployment/underemployment and inability to pay rent.
2) The @ApartmentWire tracker doesn’t break out data by property class. Other data sources that do show a clear trend of renters in Class C properties increasingly unable to pay rent. From @RealPage:
3)The @ApartmentWire tracker doesn’t differentiate between partial payments and full payments - a payment in any amount is categorized as rent having been paid.
4)The @ApartmentWire tracker doesn’t differentiate between those paying rent in cash or those paying rent via credit cards. Other trackers show a clear and alarming trend of renters increasingly paying rent with credit cards. https://twitter.com/dianeyentel/status/1266183018584121348?s=21
5) the tracker shows only national numbers, masking significant geographic differences. Other data are clear that renters in higher cost cities are increasingly struggling.
6) The @ApartmentWire tracker also masks outliers. Other data show that renters in Iowa, for example, have had a dramatic decline in rent payments - both when compared to last year and when compared to the rest of country.
It’s true that we haven’t yet reached the financial cliff for millions of renters to fall off - that cliff will come as expanded Unemployment Insurance benefits expire, one-time stimulus checks are spent, and more eviction moratoriums end.
But even now, low-income renters are increasingly struggling to pay the rent. Expanded UI isn’t getting to many in need. https://twitter.com/dianeyentel/status/1255883402970107904?s=20 https://twitter.com/dianeyentel/status/1255883402970107904
state/local eviction moratoriums are expiring & courts are processing evictions. In the midst of a pandemic, 24 states now allow evictions for non-payment of rent. eviction moratoriums will soon expire in an additional 6 states. https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2020/06/10/coronavirus-eviction-worries-mount-moratoriums-lifted/5286368002/
Some state and localities have cobbled together resources to provide rental assistance and avoid evictions. But demand for emergency rental assistance is overwhelming resources throughout the country.
In Houston, a $16 million rental assistance program was depleted within 90 minutes due to overwhelming demand https://www.khou.com/mobile/video/news/local/coronavirus-houston-rental-assistance-program-money-depleted/285-7a800caa-856a-41ca-948b-a3fd244c906c
In Dallas it took only hours before rental assistance funds were depleted. https://www.dallasnews.com/news/public-health/2020/05/05/dallas-covid-19-rent-mortgage-assistance-program-closes-to-new-applicants-almost-10000-eligible/
The city of Miami funds for rental assistance were depleted in days after getting applications for 5x the amount of available assistance. https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/miami-beach/article242845191.html
In Kissimmee, FL “the city had received well over 1,000 applications prior to making the decision to announce the closure of the application window.” https://www.aroundosceola.com/news/city-gets-more-1000-rental-assistance-applications-just-days
It’s clear that w/o a significant federal intervention there will be a rash of evictions and a spike in homelessness across the country. Congress must act with urgency to prevent this tragic, unnecessary and costly outcome.
In addition to a needed eviction moratorium for renters, the House-passed HEROES Act includes the Emergency Rental Assistance and Rental Market Stabilization Act to provide $100 billion in emergency rental assistance.
The bill has near unanimous Democratic consent, cosponsored by over 155 Representatives, 39 Senators, and championed by @RepMaxineWaters, @RepDavidEPrice @SpeakerPelosi, @SenSherrodBrown @SenJackReed and @SenSchumer.
Republicans like @SenMcSallyAZ, @SenatorCollins, @senrobportman and @ToddYoungIN also recognize the clear need for emergency rental assistance.
Over 640 organizations from across the country strongly support the Emergency Rental Assistance Act and urge its quick enactment: https://nlihc.org/sites/default/files/Sign-on-Letter-Emergency-Rental-Assistance-Bill-Heck-Waters-Brown_060920.pdf
The House passed the HEROES Act last month, but the Senate hasn’t started work on the next spending bill. Every day of inaction puts more low-income renters – primarily people of color – at immediate risk of losing their home. We need #RentReliefNow
(End)
(End)
