Today, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Chairwoman of the House Financial Services Committee, issued the following statement in response to a foreclosure and eviction moratorium extension announced by Ben Carson, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

“Once again, the Trump administration has failed to provide the necessary help to renters in the middle of this pandemic crisis. To distract from their complete and utter refusal to take more meaningful action to address the growing rental housing crisis, Trump issued an empty executive order on housing that did nothing for struggling renters and now, Secretary Carson has announced a foreclosure and eviction moratorium for FHA single family loans that leaves renters in those properties out to dry,” said Chairwoman Maxine Waters. “Secretary Carson’s latest announcement does not help one renter. The only renters that could hypothetically be covered by this eviction moratorium are those in FHA single family properties directly owned by HUD because the owner has defaulted on the mortgage. HUD concedes there are zero renters residing in these kinds of properties, meaning that this eviction moratorium applies to zero renters. Meanwhile, the almost 15 million renters who are behind on their rent have been receiving or will soon receive eviction notices. It has now been 104 days since House Democrats passed the Heroes Act – legislation which extends the federal eviction moratorium put in place in the CARES Act, and creates emergency rental assistance and homeowner assistance funds. Instead of joining with Democrats to protect millions of renters from eviction, Senate Republicans have refused to pass the Heroes Act. It’s time for Senate Republicans and the Administration to stop playing games with America’s renters and pass the Heroes Act.”

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