CDC halts evictions in USDA multifamily housing communities
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has extended the eviction moratorium to affected multifamily housing residents through June 30, 2021.
This halt in residential evictions allows the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to extend relief to people who rely on USDA-supported multifamily housing communities.
The USDA has 82 projects with 5,400 residents in Puerto Rico that will benefit from the moratorium. The delinquency rate is about 15%, said Arlene Zambrana, director of Rural Housing on the island.
“Due to COVID-19, the United States is facing a nationwide housing affordability crisis. That’s why, in a whole-of-government effort, USDA is taking this important action today to extend rental relief to the tens-of-thousands of individuals in USDA-supported multifamily housing communities,” said USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development Justin Maxson.
“Currently, more than 40,000 tenants are rent overburdened, paying more than 30 percent of their income on rent. Today’s actions will give tenants at USDA-financed properties essential relief while the Department works as quickly as possible to extend the $100 million for emergency rental assistance,” he said.
USDA’s Multi-Family Housing Programs provide affordable multi-family rental housing in rural areas by financing projects geared for low-income, elderly, and disabled individuals and families, as well as domestic farm workers.
USDA guarantees loans for affordable rental housing designed for low- to moderate-income residents in rural areas and towns. USDA also provides grants to sponsoring organizations to repair or rehabilitate housing for eligible families and subsidizes rents for low-income tenants who cannot afford to pay their full rent.
