While many Americans sit and wait to see how Congress acts on stimulus payments to taxpaying citizens, there is a looming dread that exists far beyond the waiting for an anticipated $1,200, which American’s may or may not see. Is $1,200 enough? Nope.
In August, the National Low Income Housing Coalition announced that 30-40 million Americans would face eviction in the coming months.
On September 4, 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued an order entitled “Temporary Halt in Residential Evictions,” which expires on Dec 31, 2020, New Year’s Eve. Let’s look at a few of the items in the declaration that a citizen must sign to have gotten the relief:
- If evicted I would likely become homeless, need to move into a homeless shelter, or need to move into a new residence shared by other people who live in close quarters because I have no other available housing options.
- I understand that I must still pay rent or make a housing payment, and comply with other obligations that I may have under my tenancy, lease agreement, or similar contract. I further understand that fees, penalties, or interest for not paying rent or making a housing payment on time as required by my tenancy, lease agreement, or similar contract may still be charged or collected.
- I further understand that at the end of this temporary halt on evictions on December 31, 2020, my housing provider may require payment in full for all payments not made prior to and during the temporary halt and failure to pay may make me subject to eviction pursuant to state and local laws.
Do you see a problem here? The first point says, “I would likely become homeless”, complete desperation. The second point says “I’m still on the hook and I can’t afford it” as jobs were lost and businesses were forced to close. While the third point says, “There is no way in hell I’m going to make this lump sum payment on New Year’s Eve.”
Yes, we need to be responsible for contracts and agreements we enter into. That’s essential and we all know nothing is free.
Forcing businesses to close, shelter at home, and changing the complete fabric of the United States workforce, did this need to happen to slow the spread of COVID-19? Possibly it did.
If that’s the case, there needed to be swift and meaningful action to offset the onslaught of financial demise that we all knew would come. To the people. The taxpayers. Chuck, Nancy, Mitch, you are being paid. Nancy, you are probably still munching on your designer ice cream. Get to work. Now.
It may be time for personal bankruptcy attorneys to crank up their advertising deals and specials. The competition is going to be steep. As some Americans were already week to week or day to day with finances, the COVID-19 wave of shutdowns, restrictions, and “do as I say, not as I do” mentality has screwed us. Royally. American renters, that fell behind due to job loss and shutdowns, have an upcoming deadline.
Local, State, and Federal decisions made created this mess, and I don’t think the American people will just be hung out to dry this time. The eviction of America can happen, but we the people should not let it happen.
We wanted to include a letter received by a reader, who has been unemployed since Dec of 2019.
by Jose Bermudez – “Good evening my name is Jose. I am a 67-yr-old Hispanic male who has worked since 1973 in the printing industry, until December 31st when the economy went down. That’s when the company that I worked for, Condé Nast publications, Walt Disney company laid-off. What I have to say is that all this fussing about getting this stimulus out when you can continue printing money and you have no loss because that money that you trying to give to all Americans is going right back to the government. So stop crying and get that 2.6 trillion out because with all the printing press, you will have all that money back, so please get that stimulus out before Christmas.”
‘Stop crying’. Get to work.
I bet if we stopped there pay and crap they wud get off their buttons and do something!
Shut up and give me 1200 I really could use it in this lousy year.