Sleeping Outside in a Pandemic: Vulnerable Renters Face Evictions

After dark on a warm night this spring, Wilfredo Avila and his girlfriend Patricia Carillo lumbered toward the park near their apartment in Washington, D.C., their arms heavy with plastic bags filled with their clothes.

When the nation’s economy ground to a halt this spring, economists warned that an avalanche of evictions was looming. The federal government and many states rushed to ban them temporarily. They placed moratoriums on mortgage foreclosures to relieve financial pressure on landlords. “Today for example, I got here maybe an hour ago and I’ve already had three calls,” said Norieliz Dejesus, sounding stressed one morning in late May. Dejesus is a program manager with the organization Chelsea Collaborative, in Chelsea, Massachusetts, a hub for incoming migrants from Eastern Europe and Central America.

Jaimy Gonzalez, who shares a four-bedroom apartment with her partner, three children, her partner’s father and brother in Chelsea, provided text messages from her landlord saying she would have to pay a $35 fee for each day that her rent was late. She held her breath and sent a message to her landlord explaining that she was doing everything she could to come up with the money, but he never responded. She said she wakes up every day wondering if he’s going to show up at her door demanding that they leave.

That was the case for Enriqueta, who asked to be identified by her first name because she came to the United States illegally from Mexico. She and her husband were working as house cleaners in Austin, Texas, but lost their jobs in March. April 1 came and went. Within a few days, her landlord began knocking on the door of her apartment and demanding the rent.

Even if she found the money, because of her legal status, she did not have a form of identification she could use to rent another apartment.Austin city officials learned of their situation through her sons’ school and helped them move last week into a bedroom they are now subletting in a different apartment without a formal lease.

Ozark Trail 22 piece Camping Combo Set

All with iPhones, flat screen tvs, and Mac books.

At least they have plenty to eat.

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