Rental Housing Relief Bill Passes House
This message is from the National Apartment Association:
Dear NAA Members,
The U.S. House of Representatives today passed H.R. 7301, the Emergency Housing Protections and Relief Act of 2020. The bill breaks the HEROES Act housing provisions into a single, standalone package, including the 12-month extension of the federal eviction moratorium. However, as was the case with the HEROES Act, the Republican-led Senate to-date has shown little interest in taking up these drastic changes to housing policy.
The National Apartment Association (NAA), together with the National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC) and our real estate coalition partners, is amplifying the industry’s voice on Capitol Hill and continuing its work to ensure members of Congress understand the severe consequences of an expanded federal eviction moratorium on the rental housing industry, in turn, limiting the availability of housing options.
In addition to funding for a robust emergency rental assistance program and other positive provisions for the industry, H.R. 7301 would expand the federal eviction moratorium to:
- Apply to virtually all single-family and multifamily homes;
- Extend the covered period for 12 months;
- Lengthen the “notice to vacate” requirement to 30 days for cases of nonpayment of rent; and
- Remain unconnected to whether renters have had COVID-19 related financial impact.
The federal eviction moratorium inhibits the rental housing industry’s ability to manage apartment communities and provide quality housing to 43 million Americans, and its extension would have devastating effects on the industry. Further, a blanket eviction moratorium interrupts the cashflow necessary to operate rental housing and increases the risk of renters falling too far behind on rent to catch up with accruing unpaid balances.
Congress must take steps as part of the next phase of COVID-19 legislation to protect the rental housing industry, industry professionals and renters. Further, policymakers should refocus on emergency rental assistance as an extended eviction moratorium will do nothing to keep renters stably housed or steady the nation’s rental housing stock. Your help is needed in communicating this message to federal policymakers.
Contact NAA here to learn more about how you can help.