Covid-19 Mortgage and Rent Relief is Vital

Is a 90-day suspension of mortgage and rent payments even possible? If we can quarantine an entire country under “Shelter in Place” orders, we can certainly figure out how to save our shelters.

Can you imagine how it would it change our ability to weather this pandemic financially and mentally if we knew we did not have to make our mortgage or rent payment for the next 90 days?

Because as a real estate broker, like many other small business owners, I am suddenly out of business with zero income. As an out of work American I am joined with millions of others who will struggle to pay for housing. 

But I know what you’re thinking, I did, too…but…”What about insurance? What about property taxes? What if the tenant moves out in the middle of the suspension?” Valid points, but they pale in comparison to the potential fallout we are facing if this does not happen.

My friend and colleague, Marguerite Martin, wrote a letter to her political leaders over on LinkedIn. Inspired by her letter, I’m posting the new letter I am sending to all of my political leaders today.

So I urge you to do the same. It is easy for us to read posts like this and nod in agreement, but it means nothing if we don’t take action. You have the time right now to make a difference, we all do.

Either use and edit mine or Marguerite’s letter, or write your own; but send it to every influential person you know—your message matters. 

I’ve included a links for Illinois. Everyone else, google it. Ninety days without worrying about our health is bad enough, being forced into unemployment is terrifying. Securing our shelter will save lives. That is not an exaggeration. Please do it. Copy=> edit=> paste=> send.

Dear ________________,

Rent and mortgage payments are looming due in days for many unemployed Americans. As you read this, people are making a critical choice between food, medicine, or making their shelter payment. We must take swift and proactive measures to secure the shelter people have.

I am charging you and our other political leaders to take responsible action to protect us all by mandating a nationwide suspension of rents and mortgages for 90 days.

If we do not find a way to suspend shelter payments, massive foreclosures and evictions will follow. Many people will be unable to obey the shelter in place and be forced into group living arrangements with family, friends, and shelters, exacerbating and prolonging this nationwide Covid-19 pandemic.

Like many small business owners, as real estate broker, I am out of business with no income. As an out of work American I am joined with millions of others who will struggle with paying for housing.  

If mortgage payments are suspended on all properties, commercial and residential, financial recovery for all of us, including small business owners, would be at least plausible.

We must work together to ensure that all rents and mortgages are suspended for 90 days so that everyone has an opportunity to obey the law, shelter in place, and hospitals, businesses, schools, and our country can normalize as soon as possible.

We can not make people choose between food, medicine, or shelter. I implore you to use your influence to call on other political leaders to suspend mortgage and rent payments for 90 days; it will literally save lives.

Sincerely,

Amy Curtis, 3rd Congressional District, State of Illinois

Small Business Owner, Homeowner

Link to  Senator Durbin https://www.durbin.senate.gov/contact/email

Link to Congressman Lipinski https://lipinski.house.gov/contact-form/

Link to Governor Pritzker https://www2.illinois.gov/sites/gov/contactus/Pages/VoiceAnOpinion.aspx

Link to National Association of Realtors https://www.nar.realtor/leadership-team

Link to Illinois Association of Realtors https://www.illinoisrealtors.org/about/local-associations/

• Does your organization already have paid lobbyists? For example, The National, State, and Local Associations of REALTORS all have paid lobbyists on staff. Make sure your associations know you want a suspension of rents and mortgages for 90 days during the pandemic shutdown.

Here is the email I sent to my local, state, and national association today:

Dear ,

As of this writing we are a  day from the day rent and mortgage payments are due in the US. REALTORS® and our clients across the country are unable to work. The need for our advocacy on behalf of renters, homeowners, and landlords is greater than ever before. 

Our REALTORS®, clients, community members who rent, and landlords need more than what is being done for them. We need a 90-day suspension of rents and mortgages so that people are housed during this crisis and not going into inescapable debt.

Some communities have taken the very first steps of passing eviction moratoriums. It is simply not enough to prevent landlords from evicting tenants who are barred from earning money. We must work together to ensure that all rents and mortgages are suspended for 90 days so that no one gets behind and no one is punished for doing the right thing for our country and staying home.

Please use our influence as an association to call on our political leaders to suspend mortgage and rents for 90 days.

Sincerely,