At midnight on Saturday, July 31, the federal government’s eviction moratorium ended and millions of low-income households were placed at risk of eviction, housing instability, and homelessness.
As the Delta Variant surges across the country, most of the Emergency Rental Assistance provided by Congress has yet to reach the hands of renters. Youth Collaboratory, A Way Home America, and True Colors United call upon the Biden Administration, Congress, and state and local governments to take every action necessary to remedy this dangerous situation.
Eviction, and risk of risk of eviction, are traumatic experiences for any person. Youth and young adults who experience eviction face particularly challenging and dangerous circumstances. In many communities, it is difficult for a young person to find landlords willing to rent to someone under age 24. A prior eviction, and the resulting credit damage, will only exacerbate a youth’s difficulty in finding units available for rent. Youth and young people who experience eviction and subsequent homelessness are also at much greater risk for exploitation by traffickers. According to a survey conducted by Polaris, 64% of survivor respondents reported being homeless or experiencing unstable housing when they were recruited into their situation. Furthermore, more than half of all victims are under age 24 when they are first trafficked. Eviction also impacts youths’ ability to maintain employment, attend school, and receive healthcare. In addition, young people disproportionately work in jobs that have been negatively affected by COVID-19; as of June 2021, youth and young adult unemployment is still 80% higher than unemployment for adults age 25 and older.
For young people, the cascade of negative consequences due to eviction extends well beyond the loss of housing and can impact their lives for years or decades to come.
During an ongoing deadly global pandemic and resulting economic downturn, it is incumbent upon the government to protect low-income renters from eviction. Youth Collaboratory, A Way Home America, and True Colors United urge Congress to return to session and work with the Biden Administration, and state and local governments, to take immediate action to protect low-income renters.
How to Find Emergency Rental Assistance:
Are you or someone you know in need of rental assistance? The US Treasury Department has compiled a listing of Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) programs to help tenants and landlords find rental assistance programs in their local areas.
Renters and landlords can also find out what emergency rental assistance covers, how it works, and who’s eligible on the interagency housing portal hosted by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).