Commissioner Eudaly Joins Portland Unions in Calling for Eviction Freeze

[swag]

Source: Portland Mercury

by Alex Zielinski • Mar 13, 2020 at 3:35 pm

The coronavirus' spread has already forced thousands of Portlanders to stay home from work, shutter their businesses, lay off employees, and lose their jobs entirely. In hopes of slowing the damage COVID-19's economic impacts will have on low-income Portlanders, City Commissioner Chloe Eudaly and union leaders have called on local government to place a moratorium on evictions, rent hikes, and mortgage payments.
"With the spread of viral pandemic at our doorstep… thousands of Portlanders are one paycheck away from not being able to make their rent or mortgage payments, [and] thousands of businesses are at risk of not making their payroll," said Eudaly at a morning press conference in Lownsdale Square. "Our systemic failures are on full display."

Eudaly's call echoes a petition that began circulating this week by Portland Tenants United (PTU), a union representing renters, calling for an eviction freeze until the COVID-19 crisis ends. PTU co-chair Margot Black opened the press conference by pointing across the street to the Multnomah County Courthouse, where a judge was approving evictions for dozens of Portlanders—a practice that takes place daily in the courthouse.

"There are 42 people right now in Multnomah County Courthouse finding out if they are going to lose their homes," said PTU co-chair Margot Black. "Every leader is telling us to shelter in place and to cancel everything. The last thing we should be doing is allowing people to be unhoused right now."

Union leaders with Laborers Local 43, AFSCME, and SEIU Local 503 also spoke in support of an eviction moratorium.

Read more: https://www.portlandmercury.com/blogtown/2020/03/13/28140041/commissioner-eudaly-joins-portland-unions-in-calling-for-eviction-freeze

[JCMach1]

1. How about rent and mortgage payment moratorium

Until this thing is finished. Just pause everything for everyone with no penalty

[Merlot]

2. Mortgage payments go to big banks who can absorb the loss

How does this work for a landlord who has a mortgage? Does their mortgage payment get postponed as well? What about repairs and expenses? And what about people who depend on their rental income to live?

[JCMach1]

4. Yes, all mortgage and rent.

The banks would only temporarily Lise $. You would just pause payments.

They would resume as current after the crisis with the same remaining time.

[Merlot]

6. "Pause payments" is magical thinking

You'd need to "pause payments" of water, garbage, maintenance, taxes, insurance, home warranty programs, management fees, monthly landscaping, and the property owner who is living off of what's left of the revenue. So all those people and companies are supposed to wait because someone can't/won't pay their rent? All that does is cause more financial damage.

A better option is to have those rent payers apply for readily available assistance from the government. That would mean the gov't would have to pass a bill with some real solutions, not the 2 weeks of sick leave bill.

[blue-wave]

3. Yes. Nationwide.

Credit cards and other loans too?

[JCMach1]

5. Exactly, pause the credit economy entirely

It will save bubbles like auto loans from bursting