Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined Senator Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) and Congressman Denny Heck (D-Wash.) in supporting new legislation, the Emergency Rental Assistance and Rental Market Stabilization Act of 2020. The bill was introduced in the House and will soon be introduced as a companion bill in the Senate. The bill would establish an Emergency Rental Assistance program to provide $100 billion in emergency rental assistance to help families and individuals pay their rent and remain housed during and after the Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis. Stabilizing renters and the rental market through this crisis will help the economy recover from the economic aftershocks of the pandemic.
“Nevadans should be focused on keeping their families safe and healthy during this pandemic, not about whether they will be able to pay their rent or keep a roof over their heads. That’s why I’m proud to introduce this important legislation that will provide $100 billion in emergency rental assistance to help families pay their rent and support community landlords. I saw the harm the eviction crisis of 2008 caused Nevada, and I’m determined to do all I can to ensure that crisis is not repeated and that we’re standing up for families currently facing financial hardship through no fault of their own.”
The Senate bill is currently cosponsored by Senators Cortez Masto, Brown and Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Jeffrey A. Merkley (D-Ore.), Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Kamala D. Harris (D-Calif.), Cory A. Booker (D-N.J.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Bernard Sanders (I-Vt.), and Michael F. Bennet (D-Colo.).
BACKGROUND:
Specifically, the Emergency Rental Assistance and Rental Market Stabilization Act of 2020 would:
- Authorize $100 billion for an Emergency Rental Assistance program to help families and individuals pay their rent and utility bills and remain housed during and after the COVID-19 crisis.
- The program would send funds to communities, states, and tribes through an existing federal temporary rental assistance program to facilitate the rapid distribution of funds through an already-available administrative and reporting system.
The bill has been endorsed by a diverse list of housing, state and local government, child advocacy, faith, health care, women’s, civil rights, disability rights, and social welfare organizations. These groups include the National Alliance to End Homelessness, National Low Income Housing Coalition, Children’s Defense Fund, U.S. Conference of Mayors, National Association of Counties, National Urban League, and National League of Cities.
The full text of the bill is available here.
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