(Shelter Force) Rent During COVID—A Shelterforce Collection

The pandemic has highlighted just how much our entire housing system is dependent on rent.

Photo by Joseph Smooke, courtesy of the Housing Rights Committee of San Francisco The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted just how much our entire housing system is dependent on rent—rent that many people already can’t afford, and are one income disruption or medical crisis away from not being able to pay. Shelterforce has been following the effects of the pandemic on renters and housing providers and the various solutions being raised to deal with the precarious situation—recent data found that in New York City 25 percent of rent didn’t get paid in May. Here’s a round up of Shelterforce articles that will give you a good introduction to the players, issues, and proposals on the table. What Would It Mean to Cancel Rent? Miriam Axel-Lute, Shelterforce The growing organizing demand to cancel rent raises a host of questions for the affordable housing movement. Read More   Rent Relief: The Local, State, and Federal Efforts Josh Cohen, Shelterforce A closer look at the rent relief proposals on the federal level, and some of the local and state efforts already underway. Read More Nonprofit Housing Providers Face Down COVID-19 Miriam Axel-Lute, Shelterforce As waves of unemployment hit, nonprofit affordable housing owners are committed to no evictions—but they are hoping relief comes for them and their tenants in time to keep their properties afloat. Read More Housing Justice Organizers Don’t Want to Return to ‘Normal’ Minhae Roth, Shelterforce As they organize for immediate relief for those whose housing is affected by the pandemic, tenant leaders are also building power to demand long-term changes. Read More Shelterforce—at the intersection of theory, policy, and practice in community development. Help keep us strong. Support Our Work Shelterforce began in 1975 and is the oldest, national, independent, nonprofit community development publication in America. Whether you provide or support affordable housing, economic or workforce development, community organizing, arts and culture, community planning, health, or transportation, Shelterforce will help you do your work better tomorrow than yesterday. ‌ ‌ ‌