Elizabeth Warren introduces bill for nationwide eviction moratorium

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) introduced legislation Monday to extend and expand a nationwide eviction moratorium to protect tenants who may be struggling to pay rent during the coronavirus pandemic, Vox reports.

The big picture: The economic fallout has made it difficult for low-income renters to make timely payments, adding new burdens to the country's longstanding housing problems.

• About 20% of renter households saw at least one household member lose a job within the past two months, according to the Urban Institute.

The backdrop: The CARES Act granted a 120-day rent moratorium for renters in federally assisted housing, which is set to expire on July 25.

• Warren's bill, the Protecting Renters from Evictions and Fees Act, extends those protections for an additional eight months and would extend benefits to almost all renters.
• Landlords would not be allowed to charge fees for renters who do not pay and would require a 30-day eviction notice after the moratorium ends.

What she's saying: "Renters who have lost their job or had their income reduced shouldn’t have to fear losing their homes in the middle of a pandemic. Housing is a human right and an absolute necessity to keep families safe during this crisis, and Congress must step in now to help keep people in their homes," Warren told Vox.

Read the bill.