Local leaders call for rent cancellations amid coronavirus lockdown
Moratorium on evictions and foreclosures ends in 2 months
All across our area, there’s been a moratorium of some sorts for evictions and foreclosures during the state of emergency. Tenants and homeowners have had their payments reduced or halted during this time, but what about when people will be forced to pay back their rent or mortgage when the lockdowns end?
SILVER SPRING, Md. (FOX 5 DC) - On Wednesday morning, Montgomery County councilmember Will Jawando tweeted about the need to address rent cancellations.
He says Maryland Governor Hogan should, “suspend all rent accrued during the crisis.”
“We need to make sure that there’s a fund set up for landlords and property owners who are going to be dealing with financial hardship because they’re not receiving rent we know that’s not happening. So they need to be able to access funds to pay what they need to pay,” says Jawando.
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FILE - A woman wearing a mask walks past a wall bearing a graffiti asking for rent forgiveness on La Brea Ave on National May Day amid the COVID-19 pandemic, May 1, 2020, in Los Angeles, California.
Jawando says tenants regularly voice their concerns about late rents and other associated fees. He also says landlords are facing setbacks due to the lack of rent payments.
The CARES Act, which became law on March 27, put a moratorium on evictions and foreclosures. That protection ends on July 25, which could result in a wave of evictions, according to experts.
Jawando wants the federal government to pass the HEROES Act, which will direct billions of dollars directly to the hands of landlords and tenants.
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