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COVID-19 Policy

COVID Policy & Advocacy

Federal Relief
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National Eviction Moratorium
Executive Order
HEALS Act
HEROES Act
CARES Act

State & Local Policy
For NACEDA Members' Policy Platforms, go to our Member Response page.

National Eviction Moratorium

The order issued by the Centers for Disease Control on September 1 prevents most evictions for nonpayment of rent until December 31. The action is long overdue, badly needed, and will provide essential protection to millions of renters. While an eviction moratorium during the pandemic is essential, it is a half-measure that delays but does not prevent evictions. At the end of the moratorium, tenants will owe any unpaid rent — and landlords are not prevented from charging or collecting fees, penalties, or interest as a result of a tenant’s failure to pay rent on time. Congress and the White House must get back to work on negotiations to enact a comprehensive COVID-19 relief bill.

President's executive order does not prevent evictions

The executive order signed on August 8 by President Trump does not provide any new resources to assist renters or reinstate the limited federal eviction moratorium that expired on July 24, which covered 30% of renters nationwide. Instead, it merely directs federal agencies to “review all existing authorities and resources” and “make a determination” about whether halting evictions would prevent the spread of coronavirus. The president does not direct any agency to take any action to actually prevent evictions. The order directs HUD and the Department of Treasury merely to consider repackaging unspent funding already approved by Congress under the CARES Act.

Senate HEALS Act proposal is on hold until after Labor Day

The Senate officially adjourned for August recess through Labor Day, walking away from negotiations over the next coronavirus relief package and leaving tens of millions of renters on their own as they face evictions and imminent risk of homelessness. Senate Republicans had announced the $1 trillion "HEALS Act" on July 27 as an alternative to the $3 trillion "HEROES Act" proposal passed by the House of Representatives on May 15. Major parts of the HEALS act relevant for community developers include:

  • No significant new money for housing. The eviction and foreclosure moratorium is also allowed to end.
  • PPP 2.0 — Combined with leftover money from existing PPP funds, the program would have about $190 billion to make second forgivable loans to some businesses. The legislation also changes some eligibility requirements. 
  • No significant new money for state and local governments, though the bill allows more flexibility for previous funds.
  • $1200 stimulus payments, targeted similarly to payments made in the Spring.
  • The reduction of weekly unemployment benefits from $600 to $200, while setting a goal to adjust payments by Fall 2020 to 70% of pre-pandemic income.
  • $105 billion in education funding for K-12 and higher education.

House Passes HEROES Act — $3 Trillion Relief Package

NACEDA strongly supports the $3 trillion Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (HEROES) Act, which was passed by the House on May 15. The legislation includes almost $200 billion in additional funding for housing and homelessness programs to help communities respond to the coronavirus. It also includes nearly $1 trillion to state and local governments to avert layoffs and $200 billion in hazard pay for essential workers and $1,200 direct payments to individuals. The bill is facing significant opposition in the Senate.

These provisions will be of particular interest to the community development sector:

  • $100 billion in emergency rental assistance to keep low-income renters stably housed during and after the public health emergency
  • An additional $11.5 billion to prevent and respond to outbreaks among people experiencing homelessness
  • A national, uniform moratorium on evictions for all renters
  • $5 billion for Community Development Block Grants
  • Funding for more than 100,000 new emergency housing vouchers
  • $1 billion for the Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund
  • More than $300 million for rural rental assistance
  • $10 billion for COVID-19 emergency grants through the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program*
*The Economic Injury Disaster Loan grants would support small businesses and nonprofits by strengthening the Payroll Protection Program to ensure that it reaches under-served communities and nonprofits.
View a one-page summary, a section-by-section summary, and a resource on state and local relief provisions from the House Committee on Appropriations. This NLIHC budget chart compares the HEROES ACT and CARES Act.
 

Talking points for HEROES Act advocacy:

  • The Heroes Act is the kind of comprehensive action we need in this moment. Its scale matches the unprecedented need in our state and across our country.
  • The Heroes Act protects people’s livelihoods and their health and delivers urgently needed funding to our state that will keep crucial services such as education and health care intact.
  • It will provide emergency rental assistance for low-income renters who recently lost their jobs because of the pandemic and may face eviction, and landlords won't be able to pay their mortgage, taxes and employees.
  • It supports small business and nonprofit by strengthening the Paycheck Protection Program to ensure that it reaches under-served communities and nonprofits of all sizes and types - business and service providers on the front-line of the pandemic.

CARES Act Stimulus Package

The initial $2.2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was signed into law on March 27, 2020. It includes significant funding for the community development sector. 

NACEDA and our members advocated for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to provide adequate funds to underserved small businesses and nonprofits. View the NACEDA letter on PPP to Members of Congress.