People’s Action and national allies demand federal housing action during coronavirus crisis

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 18 March 2020
Contact: Derrick Crowe, [email protected], 512.516.5067 cell

WASHINGTON, D.C.—People’s Action today released a memorandum outlining the federal action required to ensure frontline communities have their housing needs met during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“The coronavirus pandemic is a public health crisis that will affect poor and working class community members the most,” People’s Action’s Homes Guarantee Campaign Director Tara Raghuveer said. “We can’t afford more corporate bailouts. We must instead ensure collective well-being by taking major action to protect our  collective well-being. Millions of people are at risk of housing instability and homelessness absent immediate, strong action.”

The memo outlines demands for federal action including: 

  • Transfering $2,000 in cash to all people in the United States, immediately;
  • Instituting a nationwide rent/mortgage holiday, rent/mortgage freeze, and/or rental assistance;
  • Enacting a nationwide eviction/foreclosure moratorium;
  • Banning utility shut-offs and restore service to all households;
  • Providing homes and expanded services for people experiencing homelessness;
  • Providing immediate support for public housing residents; and
  • Ensuring a just, green transition post-pandemic. 

Read the full memo online: https://homesguarantee.com/housing-covid-19/

The following organizations contributed to the document and endorse these demands: People’s Action, Washington CAN, Community Voices Heard, Jane Addams Senior Caucus, ONE Northside, POWER, VOCAL-NY, Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition, Citizen Action of New York, Reclaim Philly, Maine People’s Alliance, Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada, PUSH Buffalo, KC Tenants, Housing Justice for All NY, MHAction, Right to the City, Action Center for Race and the Economy (ACRE), Alliance for Housing Justice, Center for Popular Democracy, Partnership for Working Families, PolicyLink, Public Advocates, The Democracy Collaborative, and The Socio-Spatial Climate Collaborative at the University of Pennsylvania. 

People’s Action 

People’s Action is a national network of 40 state and local grassroots, power-building organizations united in fighting for justice. Our organization recently released a vision for a national Homes Guarantee that has already prompted major legislation from champions including U.S. Reps. Ilhan Omar, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Rashida Tlaib. People’s Action also operates the largest progressive rural organizing project in the country. Learn more at https://peoplesaction.org. 

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