CLEVELAND, Ohio — Local and state leaders are urging Congress and the federal government to agree on a second COVID-19 stimulus plan as soon as possible, with crucial deadlines on the way by the end of the year.
Larry Bresler, End Poverty Now's Northeast Ohio Coordinator, told News 5 thousands of tenants in greater Cleveland could be facing eviction at the beginning of 2021 if a new stimulus package isn't approved in the coming weeks and the CDC's eviction moratorium isn't extended into next year.
Bresler said additional COVID-19 financial relief is desperately needed to keep people in their homes.
“People are already hurting in this country and hurting in a major way in Cleveland," Bresler said
“It’s a very scary situation. It’s interconnected ultimately for the tenants, but it’s also interconnected for the landlords with the supplemental assistance to them, particularly the mom-and-pop landlords.”
“We need an extension right now so at least gets is into the next administration and we could into a more comprehensive package that can move us forward.”
“I don’t think people begin to understand how serious it really is.”
The need for an extension and a new stimulus plan had Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and Attorneys General in 42 other states sending a letter to leaders in Congress asking them to put politics aside and get the job done.
Yost said a crucial window is closing, that one of the restrictions placed on the funding, limits the money’s use to expenses incurred between March 1, 2020, and December 30, 2020.
“We’re in an unprecedented emergency with the pandemic, and the impacts on our local communities are just profound," Yost said.
“From small businesses to our healthcare infrastructure, this is going to hit from top to bottom.”
“Nobody asks your political persuasion when you show up in the emergency room or the ICU, this is a non-partisan issue.”
“We’re just asking them to extend that Dec. 30 deadline.”
“We need a little bit more time here to be able to respond adequately, we’re talking about money that’s going to hospitals.”
