Reclaim Our Homes: Rent/Mortgage Suspension Now!

Governor Andrew Cuomo and Senators Chuck Schumer, Kirsten Gillibrand, and the NYS Congressional Delegation

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Everyday the housing crisis related to COVID-19 crisis gets worse and worse. It is impacting tenants, homeless New Yorkers, public housing residents, and homeowners across the State.

Housing is healthcare. An eviction moratorium is the first step, but right now it’s critical that every New Yorker is safely housed, especially those who are currently without homes or most in danger of losing their homes due to loss of income. We are calling on Governor Cuomo and state legislative leaders to implement an immediate suspension of rent, mortgage, and utility payments, a full moratorium on evictions/foreclosures-- for renters and homeowners, and investment in safe, affordable housing for every New Yorker.

Working people across New York State are facing lay-offs and struggling to pay rent and buy basic necessities. This problem will not disappear once the threat of COVID-19 has passed, and the eviction moratorium is lifted. Forgiving rent and mortgage debt accumulated during this period will help keep New Yorkers in their homes and stabilize our economy and our state.

Now is the time to create permanent housing for homeless New Yorkers. It’s immoral and wrong for the state to keep any homeless New Yorkers in tightly-packed shelters where coronavirus can spread rapidly. All homeless New Yorkers should be moved to safe, quality housing as fast as possible.


Todos los días la crisis de vivienda relacionada con la crisis COVID-19 empeora cada vez más. Está afectando a inquilinos, neoyorquinos sin hogar, residentes de viviendas públicas y propietarios de viviendas en todo el estado.

La vivienda es salud. El primer paso es una moratoria de desalojo, pero en este momento es fundamental que todos los neoyorquinos estén alojados de manera segura, especialmente aquellos que actualmente no tienen hogar o que corren más peligro de perder sus hogares debido a la pérdida de ingresos. Hacemos un llamado al gobernador Cuomo y a los líderes legislativos estatales para que implementen una suspensión inmediata de los pagos de alquiler, hipoteca y servicios públicos, una moratoria completa de los desalojos e inversión en viviendas seguras y asequibles para todos los neoyorquinos.

Los trabajadores en todo el estado de Nueva York enfrentan despidos y luchan por pagar el alquiler y comprar las necesidades básicas. Este problema no desaparecerá una vez que la amenaza de COVID-19 haya pasado y se levante la moratoria de desalojo. Perdonar el alquiler y la deuda hipotecaria acumulada durante este período ayudará a mantener a los neoyorquinos en sus hogares y a estabilizar nuestra economía y nuestro estado.

Ahora es el momento de crear viviendas permanentes para los neoyorquinos sin hogar. Es inmoral y erróneo que el estado mantenga a los neoyorquinos sin hogar en refugios apretados donde el coronavirus puede propagarse rápidamente. Todos los neoyorquinos sin hogar deben ser trasladados a viviendas seguras y de calidad lo más rápido posible.

To: Governor Andrew Cuomo and Senators Chuck Schumer, Kirsten Gillibrand, and the NYS Congressional Delegation
From: [Your Name]

We are in the midst of an unprecedented public health crisis that is unraveling our ability to hang onto our homes. An eviction moratorium was the right first step, but we need to go further. We demand the following, immediately.

RENT, MORTGAGE and UTILITY SUSPENSION NOW:

No one should be displaced or go into debt because they can’t pay their rent or their mortgage. An eviction moratorium is an urgent first step, but we need a suspension of rent and universal forgiveness of any rent, mortgage, or utility payment owed or accumulated during the length of this crisis. Folks shouldn't have to pay rent/mortgage/utilities bills during this time and they cannot be claimed later.

Landlords must not use this moment to price-gouge or displace ANY tenant who cannot pay the rent (commercial or residential.) All existing rents should be frozen at their current level, and all tenants should have the right to renew their leases.

RECLAIM OUR HOMES and INVEST $10 BILLION IN HOMES FOR ALL:

92,000 people are homeless -- living shoulder to shoulder in shelters, at very high risk of COVID-19. We must immediately rehouse New Yorkers into permanent housing using all vacant property (public or private) and invest in rental assistance and permanent, high-quality public, and/or social housing.

We must invest in public housing, subsidized housing, and housing owned by nonprofits. Our public housing is dangerously unprepared for COVID-19, and the poor quality of the public housing stock puts residents at greater risk of contracting and spreading the virus. Subsidized housing/housing owned by nonprofits operates on thin margins, and these mission-oriented landlords must be able to secure hardship relief.