Merkley, Warren Push Trump Administration to Protect Americans from Evictions, Foreclosures Amid Ongoing Coronavirus Pandemic

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) today pressed President Donald Trump to issue an immediate, nationwide moratorium on all foreclosures on and evictions from properties owned or insured by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), Veterans Affairs (VA), or the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Housing Service (RHS), amid growing concerns of the economic ramifications of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

“A national moratorium is urgently needed to mitigate the hardship confronting many American workers who have already seen or will soon experience an unexpected and significant drop in income due to reduced consumer spending on tourism, travel, hospitality, entertainment, and many other service sectors where jobs cannot be easily performed in isolation or with a teleworking accommodation,” the senators wrote. “Foreclosure and eviction moratoriums have previously been implemented in response to a variety of natural disasters including hurricanes, floods, and tornados,” the senators continued. “Considering that Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) has already proven to be equally or more disruptive, deadly, and widespread, the precedent for weather related natural disasters should inform our decision to restrict foreclosures and evictions in response to the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) public health pandemic.”

The senators’ letter requested that a moratorium cover the initiation of new foreclosures and evictions, as well as the suspension of foreclosures and evictions that are already in process. And it requested that steps be taken to ensure that low-income elderly people and persons with disabilities be protected. To that end, the senators requested that the Public Housing Authorities, Section 811 supportive housing managers, and owners of Project-Based Rental Assistance properties, specifically, halt all evictions.

The full text of the letter is available here and follows below.

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Dear President Trump:

We write to request an immediate, nationwide moratorium of all foreclosure and evictions for properties owned or insured by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), Veterans Affairs (VA), or the United States Department of Agriculture’s Rural Housing Service (RHS) in response to the ongoing Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) public health pandemic.

For residents living in federally assisted housing, we urge you to direct the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to require Public Housing Authorities to halt evictions from public housing, and owners of Project-Based Rental Assistance properties, Section 202 supportive housing for very low-income elderly people, and Section 811 supportive housing for persons with disabilities to take similar actions to protect residents. This moratorium should specially cover the initiation of new foreclosures and evictions as well as the suspension of all foreclosures and evictions already in process.

A national moratorium is urgently needed to mitigate the hardship confronting many American workers who have already seen or will soon experience an unexpected and significant drop in income due to reduced consumer spending on tourism, travel, hospitality, entertainment, and many other service sectors where jobs cannot be easily performed in isolation or with a teleworking accommodation.

Foreclosure and eviction moratoriums have previously been implemented in response to a variety of natural disasters including hurricanes, floods, and tornados. Considering that Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) has already proven to be equally or more disruptive, deadly, and widespread, the precedent for weather related natural disasters should inform our decision to restrict foreclosures and evictions in response to the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) public health pandemic.

While our nation has achieved gains in homeownership and housing stability over the last decade, all of this progress will be in grave jeopardy if you do not immediately act to implement a nationwide moratorium on foreclosures and evictions.

Sincerely,