Shelterforce: What Would It Mean to Cancel Rent?

Image of older couple standing on their porch.

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

April 30, 2020

family in a tent asking for affordable housing

Affordable Housing Advocates Release Plan for Providing Immediate Assistance to Struggling Low-Income Households, Maintaining Access to Affordable Housing During the COVID-19 Emergency

May 13, 2020

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

“Tens of millions of people have lost their jobs due to the pandemic in the last month. Even those who are covered by an eviction moratorium are now worried about accumulating back rent and ending up on the streets once the moratorium lifts.

“In response, a wide range of tenant and worker organizations are organizing around the idea of canceling rent and mortgage payments during the crisis.

“Amie Fishman of the Nonprofit Housing Association of California (NPH)— which represents affordable housing developers, advocates, community leaders, and businesses—says she could sense tension early on between nonprofit housers and tenant organizers regarding calls for rent suspension and rent strikes. “The call for rent strikes and rent suspension came out of real hardship and urgency of renters all across the country facing this extreme situation,” Fishman says. “It should be seen as people coming together to come up with solutions to this crisis.””