Cancel Rent & Mortgage Payments For Those Affected By The COVID-19 Pandemic
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Sponsor: The Breast Cancer Site
Millions of people shouldn't be expected to pay their rent or mortgage during a national crisis that affects their income.
Millions of Americans are unable to pay their rent or mortgage due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
As of April 23, 2020, over 3.4 million homeowners (6.4% of all mortgages) had pushed back mortgage payments by enrolling in forbearance plans.1 About 31% of renters didn’t pay their rent on time or at all for April.2 And about 30 million Americans have filed for unemployment as of the end of April.3
As the pandemic and its effect on unemployment drag on, these staggering statistics will only get worse.
The federal government must cancel all rent and mortgage payments for people affected by COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, tenants and mortgagees should have no responsibility to pay them back.
The CARES Act, the trillion-dollar rescue package passed by Congress, eased the burden for some homeowners who are facing economic hardship by allowing them to go into forbearance and delay payments for up to one year. Government-backed mortgages include those owned by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, VA, USDA, and FHA, which make up roughly 3 out of 4 mortgages in the country.4
However, this mortgage relief doesn’t help those with private mortgages or people who rent. And for those it does help, they are still expected to pay those missed payments back. Many Americans will not be able to afford even their regular mortgage payment when the pandemic runs its course, let alone back payments.
We are in the midst of a national emergency. It should not matter who owns your loan or what state or city you live in – every homeowner and renter affected by the pandemic should get the same relief.
Unless congress takes action, too many Americans will lose their housing when their forbearance plans end and eviction moratoriums are lifted.5
We need a federal mandate that offers the same relief to all Americans who are affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Sign the petition urging congress to cancel rent and mortgage payments for renters and homeowners.
- “MORE THAN 3.4M HOMEOWNERS – 6.4% OF ALL MORTGAGES – NOW IN COVID-19-RELATED FORBEARANCE PLANS.” Black Knight, April 24, 2020
- “New data shows more Americans are having trouble paying their rent.“ Scottie Andrew and Anna Bahney, CNN Business, April 11, 2020
- "U.S. jobless claims climb 3.8 million in late April to push coronavirus total to 30 million.” Jeffry Bartash, MarketWatch, April 30, 2020
- “Everything you should know about mortgage forbearance.” Natalie Campisi, Bankrate, April 27, 2020
- “Confusion Over COVID-19 Mortgage Relief Programs.” Sadef Ali Kully, City Limits, April 28, 2020
The Petition:
To the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate,
Millions of Americans are unable to pay their rent or mortgage due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
While the CARES Act has offered some relief to some Americans, it has not offered a valid solution for all homeowners and renters who are faced with house payments they can no longer afford.
As the pandemic and its effect on unemployment drag on, the numbers of Americans unable to pay their rent or mortgage will only grow. Offering relief to only those Americans with government-backed mortgages leaves out a huge swath of the population.
We are in the midst of a national emergency. It should not matter who owns your loan or what state you live in – every homeowner and renter affected by the pandemic should get the same relief. Unless congress takes action, too many Americans will lose their housing when their forbearance plans end and eviction moratoriums are lifted.
Please help the millions of Americans who are facing uncertainty about the future of their housing.
Sincerely,
