Senator Hassan, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Assist Renters During COVID-19 Crisis

Statement

U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) joined Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and colleagues in the Senate and House of Representatives to announce the bicameral Emergency Rental Assistance and Rental Market Stabilization Act of 2020.

The bill would establish an Emergency Rental Assistance program to provide $100 billion in emergency rental assistance to help families and individuals pay their rent and remain housed during and after the COVID-19 crisis. Stabilizing renters and helping make landlords whole through this crisis will help the economy recover from the economic aftershocks of the pandemic. The bill has been introduced in the House of Representatives, and Senators Brown, Hassan and others will soon introduce a companion bill in the Senate.

"COVID-19 is taking an unprecedented toll on families in New Hampshire and across the country, and no one should be forced out of their home because they are facing financial uncertainty as a result of this crisis," said Senator Hassan. "This legislation will provide vital assistance to keep renters safely housed as our country continues to grapple with the economic impacts of this pandemic."

The bill is part of Senator Hassan's ongoing efforts to support the housing needs of Granite Staters amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Recently, Senator Hassan and a bipartisan group of colleagues pressed top Senate Appropriators for emergency funding to help rural renters. The CARES Act that Senator Hassan helped pass into law brought $11.7 million in additional funding to assist New Hampshire's vulnerable homeless population and to address other local needs during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as $3.6 million to support affordable housing for Granite Staters.

The bill has been endorsed by a diverse group of housing, state and local government, child advocacy, faith, health care, women's, civil rights, disability rights, and social welfare organizations. These groups include the National Alliance to End Homelessness, National Low Income Housing Coalition, Children's Defense Fund, U.S. Conference of Mayors, National Association of Counties, National Urban League, and National League of Cities.

Source