‘It means nothing’: Trump’s pledge to aid tenants won’t halt evictions
The four-month CARES Act moratorium ended July 25, and most states are letting their own temporary protections lapse. At the same time, the federal enhancement to unemployment benefits — a $600-a-week boost that has helped struggling tenants pay at least some of their rent — has also expired.
The expiration of those benefits means somewhere between 19 million and 23 million people — about one in five renters in the U.S. — will be at risk of eviction by the end of next month, according to an analysis by the Aspen Institute. Negotiations to renew both measures as part of the next relief package broke down late last week.
Trump, questioned at his Tuesday press conference about the prospect of mass evictions, said, “We are not allowing that to happen.”
“We are stopping evictions,” he added, referring to the executive order.
Waters, speaking with housing advocates on Monday, called for the urgent “passage of a statutory extension of the eviction moratorium and the creation of an emergency rental assistance fund.”
The House has passed two bills that would provide $100 billion to help tenants pay their rent, but the Senate has not moved on either piece of legislation.
Saturday’s order hints at rental assistance without specifying an amount or where Treasury and HUD should draw the money from.
HUD twice declined to provide details on what the agency plans to do differently as a result of the order. Treasury said it had no comment.
“We are in close contact with the White House and other federal agencies on the Executive Order and its implementation,” HUD spokesperson Brad Bishop said Tuesday. “We will provide additional information as these discussions continue.”
The White House, meanwhile, is insisting the new order will prevent people from losing their homes.
“There will be no evictions,” economic adviser Larry Kudlow said in an interview with CNN on Sunday.
When the CNN anchor pressed him on whether the order actually stops evictions as some struggling tenants may believe, Kudlow said it will provide a “mechanism” to do that.
“We’re setting up a process, a mechanism, OK? I can’t predict the future altogether,” he said.
