Episode 19: Oregon must extend the eviction moratorium, the Community Alliance Tenants director says
On this episode of the Street Roots Podcast, Kim McCarty, the executive director of the Community Alliance of Tenants, joins host DeVon Pouncey to discuss how the Rent and Mortgage Cancellation Act affects Oregonians.
“We’re very worried that in the next six weeks, how are we going to prepare Oregonians for the fact that they have almost a year's worth of back rent, that job prospects aren’t back to normal and not everyone has been vaccinated so they are not in that recovery period (from the pandemic),” McCarty said.
While McCarty is grateful that the federal government has recognized, by introducing the Rent and Mortgage Cancellation Act, that all Americans need support, she doesn’t believe the Oregon government has been supportive enough.
“Right now I don’t see any leadership for addressing the problem that could happen July 1. We estimate as many as 90,000 people have unpaid rent, and we know that as hard-working as our state agencies are … it’s just not going to be possible to reach everybody before they get an eviction notice.”
McCarty continues to advocate for an extension of the current eviction moratorium that is slated to end July 1. She wants to ensure that all Oregonians get the necessary help needed before being evicted.
“It just seems sensible that we would give ourselves the extra time, through an eviction moratorium, to make sure that all of that help gets into the hands that need it the most.”
McCarty also discusses the effect of the previous administration and how it has affected where measures currently stand. And she encouraged people to attend an informational Cancel the Rent Digital Town Hall at 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 25.
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The Street Roots Podcast reflects the opinions of host DeVon Pouncey and his guests.
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