Congressman Albio Sires (D-District 8, NJ) believes low income renters need further assistance to help them pay for their utilities and rent during the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s why he supports a piece of legislation being sponsored by a California Congresswoman to provide $100 billion to these individuals across the United States.
Sires’ issued the following press release on Saturday:
Coronavirus Update
As Congress continues to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak, I am advocating for relief for renters in future legislation. The CARES Act suspended evictions from federally-assisted housing and many states, like New Jersey, have suspended evictions for all renters. But, more is still needed. I support Rep. Maxine Waters’ proposal for $100 billion in federal funding to cover rent and utilities for low-income renters. Additionally, I have called on congressional leadership to impose a nationwide utility shut-off moratorium. Not only must renters remain in their homes, but also have access to water, electricity, and more as social distancing measures continue. From the onset of this crisis, I’ve called on Equifax, Experian, Transunion, and the major credit reporting agencies to protect renter’s credit and cease reporting on payments missed due to the public health emergency.