(ShelterForce) What Would it Mean to Cancel Rent?

In this Issue: In this Issue: CDFIs Still at a Disadvantage in Paycheck Protection Program ● Land-Use Decisions Have Life and Death Consequences ● Rent Strikes Launch Worldwide ● Let's Interrupt History: Racial Equity in a Time of Crisis ● What W

Week of May 4 In this Issue: CDFIs Still at a Disadvantage in Paycheck Protection Program ● Land-Use Decisions Have Life and Death Consequences ● Rent Strikes Launch Worldwide ● Let’s Interrupt History: Racial Equity in a Time of Crisis ● What Would it Mean to Cancel Rent? ● Also: Jobs ● Events ● Industry News ● You Said It ● In Case You Missed It + What Would it Mean to Cancel Rent? Miriam Axel-Lute, Shelterforce The popular organizing demand raises a host of questions for the affordable housing movement. Read Full Article Let’s Interrupt History: Racial Equity in a Time of Crisis Joe Neri, IFF Data on the pandemic shows once again the dramatic consequences of racial inequalities. CDFIs must focus on ensuring equitable access for Black-owned businesses. Read Full Article CDFIs Still at a Disadvantage in Paycheck Protection Program Jason Friedman, consultant Anyone claiming that equity and inclusiveness are guiding principles of the Payroll Protection Program should meet with minority small-business owners of color who are shut out from applying because they don’t have existing relationships with banks. Read Full Article Rent Strikes Launch Worldwide Shelterforce Staff Tenant groups across the U.S. and beyond worked to pull off a wave of autonomous rent strikes Friday, May 1. We take a look at some of the posts and art organizers shared leading up to the action. Read Full Article Land-Use Decisions Have Life and Death Consequences Lena Afridi and Chris Walters, Association for Neighborhood Housing and Development Hospital closures in NYC follows an all-too-familiar pattern of disinvestment and a lack of resources in low-income communities of color.  Read Full Article Help Shelterforce bring you the stories you need now! Supporting us is simple and fast. You can do it on Patreon! In Case You Missed It Nonprofit Housing Providers Face Down COVID-19 Lessons for a Post-COVID Society Don't Just Defer, Start Modifying Loans Now New Visions of Justice Through the Camera Lens Looking for a Job? Scroll Down... Industry News The Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) has named Valerie White, a senior official with New York state’s economic development agency, as executive director of LISC NYC. White was most recently executive vice president at Empire State Development (ESD), as well as executive director of the agency’s Division of Minority and Women’s Business Development. Events May 6, 2020, 12 p.m. ET | Why Investing in Communities Matters More than Ever in the Time of Coronavirus | Join Build Healthy Places Network for a conversation with three leaders representing the community development, finance and healthcare sectors that are reacting to the COVID-19 crisis. The interactive conversation with audience questions and answers will explore the critical role community development work plays in supporting resilience and healthy communities. Register here. Sign up for Shelterforce Weekly! You Said It On “Nonprofit Housing Providers Face Down COVID-19” Randy Shaw: Miriam, this is the first article I have seen (and perhaps the only one written) that addresses the impact of suspending nonpayment of rent evictions on nonprofit housers. It’s not a subject nonprofits are eager to discuss. All favor eviction moratoriums and do not want to be seen supporting putting people out on the street. But . . . Read More Homes RI: This emphasizes why we need sustained funding for affordable housing! Via Twitter Peggy: We need to support the tenants AND nonprofit affordable housing owners so that they can continue to provide stable housing and vital services to the residents! #AffordableHousing = public good. Via Twitter On “Ilhan Omar Proposes Bill to Cancel Rent, Mortgage Payments During Pandemic” Michael Kane: The main problem with Omar’s bill is that it would cancel ALL rent and mortgage payments, regardless of income or whether someone has suffered a job loss. By contrast, HR 6379, the Democrats proposal for CARES (not adopted) provided $100 billion targeted to people whose incomes had dropped (or were before) below 80% of AMI, with half to people below 50% AMI. Omar’s bill does not . . . Read More On “A Letter from A Starving Artist” Lynne: Wonderful. Many thanks to you. I have continued to support the many artists we know, as I can, throughout this peculiar time. Read More Jobs Publisher/Executive Director, Shelterforce, Montclair, NJ ● Shelterforce seeks a publisher/executive director to advance its mission, grow its audience and influence, and strategically and sustainably guide the organization through an evolving and dynamic media landscape. Read Full Listing Special Assistant to the Executive Director, Center for Community Investment, Washington, D.C. ● This is a new position designed to support CCI’s busy Executive Director who oversees CCI’s program, communications, leadership development, and operations teams; participates actively in CCI’s community investment and leadership development programs . . . Read Full Listing More Jobs Senior Project Manager, Somerville, MA ● Somerville Community Corporation Finance Manager, Somerville, MA ● Somerville Community Corporation Click here to post a job! Editor, Miriam Axel-Lute Managing Editor, Lillian M. Ortiz Assistant Editor, Elizabeth Oguss Operations Associate, Sam Fields Publisher, Harold Simon Made possible by the generous support of Robert Wood Johnson Foundation ● Kresge Foundation ● NeighborWorks America ● Kaiser Permanente ● Bank of America Foundation ● JPMorgan Chase Foundation ● Citi Community Development ● PNC Bank Foundation● Truist Bank ● Valley National Bank ... and with the support of readers like you.