AZ AARP Letter to Governor Doug Ducey - Housing Moratoriums

Dear Governor Ducey,

I’m reaching out on behalf of our over 900,000 members 50 and older in Arizona regarding the expiration of federal housing moratoriums that will impact thousands of Arizonans. On July 31, 2021 the federal eviction moratorium in place to protect vulnerable renters struggling to pay and the federal foreclosure moratorium for loans backed by HUD/FHA, USDA, VA, Fannie Mae, or Freddie Mac, are set to expire.  Today, the White House urged Congress to extend the eviction moratorium to protect vulnerable renters and their family. The White House further directed U.S. Departments of Housing and Urban Development, Agriculture, and Veterans Affairs to extend their respective eviction moratoria through the end of September, which would offer continued protection for renter households living in federally-insured, single-family properties.  While federal action may follow, AARP Arizona nevertheless urges you to take action now on behalf of Arizonans to ensure their housing stability.

We urge you to take steps to prevent a state housing crisis at the end of this month. According to the National Low-Income Housing Coalition’s (NLIHC) 2021 Out of Reach Report, housing in Arizona remains unaffordable for many – making it all the more important to ensure that people have access to supports to help them remain in their homes.  With the expiration of the eviction and foreclosure moratoriums, it is imperative that we make sure older Arizonans are not displaced due to their inability to pay their rent or mortgage. We urge you to swiftly address the following issues in order to help our state mitigate the looming housing crisis:

• Effectively use the remainder of the $229 million allotted to Arizona under the Federal Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERA) to support struggling renters. In particular, we hope you will establish a direct-to-tenant assistance program for tenants whose landlords refuse to participate in ERA programs, as allowed and encouraged by the Department of Treasury guidance. 
• Create plans to use the remainder of the $196 million allotted to Arizona under the Federal Homeownership Assistance Fund (HAF), to prevent mortgage delinquencies and defaults, foreclosures, and displacement of homeowners experiencing financial hardship.

The COVID-19 crisis is not over, and significant challenges remain. It is important to develop safeguards to make sure individuals and families remain securely housed. We encourage you to consider how funds available under ARPA can be used to develop services that increase housing stability such as:

• Developing eviction diversion programs that facilitate mediation between landlords and tenants;
• Instituting a payment plan between landlords and tenants struggling to pay their rent due COVID-19 hardships; and
• Establishing a right to counsel for low-income people facing the loss of their homes. Strengthening access to legal resources before a court eviction can prevent families from becoming homeless, prevent illegal or unnecessary evictions, prevent displacement, and create a path to housing stability.

Other resources authorized in ARPA can also be useful in helping low-income residents pay for utilities, such as those authorized with the new Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program.

Time is of the essence. Arizona has an unprecedented opportunity to respond to the housing needs of thousands of low-income Arizonans with federally allocated funds. We urge you to consider implementing plans to protect vulnerable Arizonans from losing the protections afforded by stable and secure housing. We would like to thank you again for your service to our state and for your leadership during these challenging times. AARP Arizona is committed to working with you to make these critical improvements in our state. If you have questions or wish to discuss these items further, please contact me at dkennedy@aarp.org or AARP Arizona’s Advocacy Director, Brendon Blake at bblake@aarp.org or (602) 245-8801.

Sincerely,

Dana Marie Kennedy

State Director

AARP Arizona