Because of the impact of Covid-19, The housing authority is canceling July’s rent for the 1,280 families living in the homes it manages.
The authority, aka Elm City Communities, made the announcement in a release previewing a public event on Thursday at which the decision will be discussed more.
The move builds on a #CancelRent campaign described in this previous article.
The text of the release follows:
Due to the impact of COVID-19 on low-income families in New Haven, ECC/HANH will be canceling next month’s rent for more than 1,280 families within its directly-managed properties (HANH, The Glendower Group and 360 Management Group, Co.) including Scattered Sites properties. This means that they will be foregoing rent collection totaling $408,000 with the use of non-federal and non-public dollars.
“Even with the benefit of affordable housing, our families are struggling,” said Dr. Karen DuBois- Walton, President of ECC/HANH who noted that, for a family of three, the average income is $14,000 – 16,000 per year. “Combining that with the additional costs of COVID-19 related disruptions in work schedules, school schedules, increased electricity bills, food costs, cleaning supplies, childcare and medical costs means that we’re dealing with serious problems that will last longer than the reliefs currently in place.”
Due to the #CancelRent efforts in New Haven and nationally, much needed attention has been paid to the inadequacy of the relief offered thus far to assist families. The potential expansion of this program would rely on support from more City and State officials as well as landlords to join in these efforts.
What non-federal, non-public dollars are filling the $408K hole in HANH's budget? More to the pint, given the extremely generous federal support for the unemployed, why cannot people make rent? Before we even get to the $600 bump in unemployment payments, a family of four, a couple with two kids, would get $3,400 in stimulus payments ($1200/adult plus $500 per child).