Rep. Cisneros Joins 44 Members in Demanding Protections for Renters

FULLERTON, CA - Today, Representative Gilbert R. Cisneros, Jr. (CA-39) joined 44 House members in demanding that the Departments of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Treasury, and Agriculture provide additional protections to renters during the COVID-19 pandemic. To view the letter sent to the federal agencies, click here.

“Evictions risk lives, drive families deeper into poverty, further burden overstretched health care systems, and make it much more difficult for the country to contain the coronavirus,” the Members wrote. “The price of inaction is far greater than the cost of providing essential rental assistance to households at risk of eviction and homelessness. Keeping Americans affordably and stably housed during this pandemic is both a moral imperative and a public health necessity.”

The Members called for the implementation of robust eviction moratoriums, deployment of additional federal funding, and policy remedies to “stem the tide of this oncoming ‘tsunami’ of evictions.” According to a report from the National Low Income Housing Coalition, an estimated 30 million to 40 million renters could be evicted by the end of the year without significant and sustained federal intervention.

The Members also enclosed letters from the National Housing Law Project and National Low-Income Housing Coalition that cite existing, explicit authorities at the Departments of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Treasury, and Agriculture to enact broad eviction moratoriums.

“The Trump administration has done nothing to protect the tens of millions of renters at risk of eviction, instead choosing empty gestures and brinkmanship,” said Diane Yentel, President and CEO of the National Low Income Housing Coalition. “It is reckless and irresponsible for the administration to walk away from negotiations at a time when millions of renters are struggling to keep their homes and, with it, their ability to keep themselves and their families safe. President Trump and Congress must restart negotiations immediately and enact a robust relief package to address the urgent housing and health needs of America’s lowest-income renters and people experiencing homelessness. In the meantime, the Trump administration should use every authority they have to ensure that no one is kicked out of their home during a pandemic.”

"Trump’s executive order took no action to help the 30 to 40 million people who could lose their homes by the end of the year and in fact has created confusion for renters and homeowners alike," said Shamus Roller, Executive Director of the National Housing Law Project. "The order outrageously asked HUD to look under the couch cushions to solve a massive housing crisis, and did not instruct the appropriate agencies to implement evictions moratoriums. Instead, the Administration has the power to act today to ban evictions for federally-assisted properties and programs. And Congress must get back to the negotiating table to ensure we have $100 billion in rental assistance."

On June 29th, Rep. Cisneros voted in favor of the Emergency Housing Protections and Relief Act which includes the housing provisions in the Heroes Act, like extending the federal eviction moratorium and providing rent and mortgage relief.

On May 15th, Rep. Cisneros voted in favor of the Heroes Act which allocates $175 billion in new support to assist renters and homeowners make monthly rent, mortgage and utility payments and other housing-related costs. The bill would establish a new mechanism to ensure the Federal Reserve essentially covers the cost of suspending almost all debt payments for renters and homeowners by banning evictions and foreclosures and establishing long-term, low-interest loans for landlords and mortgage servicers to bridge the sudden stop in repayments.