NOW Urges Development of Housing Crisis “Navigators”
Coalition Requests Meeting with HUD Secretary Fudge & Treasury Deputy Secretary Adeyemo
WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a letter last Friday, the National Organization for Women (NOW) along with Progressive Action Coalition, National Coalition for the Homeless, Housing is a Human Right, LULAC, African American Health Alliance, National Latino Farmers & Ranchers Trade Association, Emerald City Communications and Marketing, National Justice Roundtable and Progressive Democrats of America, urged U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Marcia L. Fudge and Treasury Deputy Secretary Wally Adeyemo to create an Emergency Rental Assistance navigator to assist renters facing eviction.
These signatories represent leaders of progressive, civil rights, direct service and social justice organizations and believe that housing is a fundamental human right. They are requesting a meeting with Secretary Fudge and Deputy Secretary Adeyemo to discuss dynamic community solutions they believe will help provide much-needed relief during this housing crisis.
The COVID-19 pandemic brought the issue of housing insecurity into sharp focus, but women, people of color and children were already in crisis. The “she-cession” that took a disparate toll on women triggered a parallel crisis in housing security and homelessness. Women are most often the sole providers for their families— and also the most likely to be evicted.
The federal government has allocated $46 billion in emergency rental relief, but only three billion has been disbursed nationwide. The letter asks that the Biden Administration emulate the success of the Affordable Care Act’s Navigator program that municipalities, states and local services can use to hire and train specialists in the application process. A navigator model would help eliminate the disparate impact of this housing crisis on women, families, the elderly, communities of color and other marginalized communities that have continued to fight for their basic human rights during this pandemic.
The U.S. never hesitates to spend billions on security outside our borders. However, NOW and its partners believe it’s time to focus internally and provide security to those who are struggling the most.