APARTMENT ADVOCATE
In May , House Democrats passed H . R . 6800 , the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions ( HEROES ) Act , a massive $ 3.4 billion COVID relief bill that left no aspect of the crisis untouched or unfunded but also included numerous items unrelated to COVID-19 that were guaranteed to be nonstarters for Republicans . For rental housing , the bill provided for $ 100 billion in emergency rental assistance , albeit through a distribution system of concern . On the other hand , the HEROES Act also imposed a 12-month eviction moratorium for virtually all rental housing , continued restrictions on consumer reporting and placed significant limitations on the debt collection process , which would leave the heavy burden of the financial impacts on COVID-19 solely on housing providers .
Senate Republicans , on the other hand , stuck to a very narrow band of proposals costing around $ 500 billion , but could never actually pass a bill . And while the Administration attempted to negotiate a compromise , it became clear over the summer than neither side could or would get to a deal and that the politics of the fall elections were becoming too much of a distraction . Throughout the wax and wane of negotiations , apartment advocates sent nearly 75,000 letters to Congress to continue to ensure that our industry ’ s voice was heard and housing remained an important part of the COVID-19 relief discussions .
When the pandemic started , the narrative was framed to suggest an intrinsic link between housing and health and to protect vulnerable populations of renters through emergency action at any cost . The view seemed to be that housing providers could absorb any lost rent . NAA was quick to respond to the inaccuracies being perpetuated that rent needs only cover mortgage payments , and housing providers had no other expenses with which to contend . That narrative slowly shifted over the summer . Now , the needs of housing providers and their residents are tied together as a result of NAA ’ s advocacy and thousands of advocates speaking to policymakers in one voice .
“ EVICTION TSUNAMIS ” AND THE CDC
After the CARES Act moratorium ended in July , activists began predicting total calamity in the fall amid what they characterized as a “ tsunami ” of evictions . Analyses by economists and others raised significant doubts about these claims , but it was ultimately moot as the Trump Administration issued an order from the U . S . Centers for Disease Control ( CDC ) halting evictions in all rental housing through the end of the year . Industry concerns with the CARES Act moratorium were now exponentially amplified as essentially every housing provider was captured under this umbrella , as opposed to the more tailored restrictions under the CARES Act . While NAA continued its advocacy with Congress and the Administration , we began to pursue legal avenues , joining a lawsuit against the CDC order on behalf of a rental property owner in western Virginia and arguing that the CDC exceeded its authority with its order . It was important to recognize that the agency has no expertise or www . aamdhq . org FEBRUARY 2021 TRENDS | 41