Alabamians facing eviction be forced to move out in the weeks ahead as courts resume eviction proceedings amidst delays in distribution of federal rental assistance.
Of the $237 million it was given by congress this spring, Alabama has distributed only about $13 million dollars.
“Each week the number of applications funded and dollar amount allocated to applications increases over the previous week,” said David Young, multifamily administrator for the Department of Finance and Administration. “Still, we know many are facing the very real possibility of eviction or utility disconnects due to financial hardships caused by the pandemic.”
Many states have seen delays in administering federal rental assistance due to bureaucratic requirements tied to the funds and the need to quickly create infrastructure to dole out the money.
Last month, the U.S. Supreme Court vacated a federal eviction moratorium. As a result, eviction cases across the country involving failure to pay rent during COVID-19 are returning to courtroom dockets.
Jefferson County Judge Shera Grant said she expects many evictions that had been on hold due to the moratorium will resume in her courtroom in the weeks ahead.
“We have tenants obviously that are in a very serious situation, but we also have landlords who have not been able to receive any rent for over a year,” said Judge Grant.
She said while some landlords are choosing to proceed with evictions and not wait for rental assistance applications to be processed at the state and local levels, others are opting to wait so that they can receive the help and their tenants can stay in their homes.
“Some of our landlords are seniors who have used this as retirement income, who have not been able to receive any rental income, and so they have been put in a very difficult position as well, so it hurts everyone.”
The Alabama Department of Finance and Administration has approved 1,909 applications for rental assistance so far. The large majority of applicants for aid have been Black women, who have faced disproportionate economic challenges during the pandemic.
Dev Wakeley, policy analyst for Alabama Arise, said he wishes the state Supreme Court would place evictions on hold when tenants are awaiting rental assistance, but he acknowledged that is unlikely.
According to Wakeley, the state’s programs are getting held up because of administrative red tape.
“Sn eviction is economically devastating to a person who goes through it,” he said.
Just 3 percent of people facing evictions have an attorney helping them through the process, compared to about 80 percent of landlords, according to the National Council for a Civil Right to Counsel.
Judge Grant said area justices have formed a landlord-tenant ad hoc committee and local advocacy groups are working to increase representation for tenants, which often improves outcomes for everyone involved.
“I think when both parties are represented, we’re able to dispose of cases easily and we’re able to come to a better disposition of those cases,” she said. “We (attempt) to do everything we can to create a win-win situation for both parties.”
Wakely, with Alabama Arise, said his group is working to help educate tenants and landlords about the rental assistance available and encourage collaboration between landlords and tenants, when possible, in navigating delays in distribution.
The alternative for many tenants, he said, is homelessness.
“There simply isn’t shelter space available, resources to help people are stressed to the limit. These federal dollars are there to take up the shortfall in the resources available to people.
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September 12, 2021 at 08:00PM
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Rental assistance delayed as evictions resume - al.com - AL.com
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