Mercury News: Coronavirus: Desperate Bay Area tenants face monthly rents as advocates push for massive bailout

Bay Area and Statewide Community Organizations Call for Emergency Federal Action on COVID-19 Public Health and Economic Crises

April 27, 2020

image of woman holding a rent strike sign on the side of the road.

Shelterforce: What Would It Mean to Cancel Rent?

May 5, 2020

Image of older couple standing on their porch.

“As rent comes due Friday for the growing ranks of unemployed workers, anxious tenants and advocates have turned to rent strikes and lobbying for massive, new government funding to ease a housing crisis intensified by the coronavirus pandemic.

“State and local emergency measures have protected renters from evictions, but the uncertainty of mounting debts as shelter in place orders have shuttered businesses and left workers without paychecks has prompted demands for greater relief.

“To keep our community safe, people have to be housed,” said Amie Fishman, executive director of the Non-Profit Housing Association of Northern California. “We don’t want to have millions of people lose their homes.”

“But the relief won’t come soon enough for many residents. Growing desperation has ignited calls for a state-wide rent strike.”