APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — The CDC has extended an eviction moratorium in certain areas with high COVID-19 transmission after that moratorium was allowed to expire over the weekend.
Lu Scheer, affordable housing director at ADVOCAP says COVID has put a lot of tenants in the Fox Valley in a vulnerable spot. They’ve assisted over a thousand families since February and are looking to help more.
“We’ve assisted over 1,050 households since February,” Scheer said.
With the average assistance of $3,525 per household from ADVOCAP and Energy Services Inc.
90.6% of Wisconsin Emergency Rental Assistance or WERA funds were used for past due or current rent.
“On an average year we assist people approximately 500-600 families with emergency financial assistance,” said Scheer.
In the last five months ADVOCAP assisted twice as many.
Scheer says since the moratorium expired on Saturday, staff has seen an increase in calls, and by Tuesday, 80 people were pre-screened to be possibly eligible for assistance.
“Need to meet less than 80% of county median income, the second part is that they have to show they’ve been impacted by COVID in a negative way,” said Scheer.
Chris Mokler, the Wisconsin Apartment Association COVID-19 Task Force Chairman says eviction slowed down because of the moratorium, so we should expect an uptick.
“The landlords are hurting that they are not getting their rent and some of those tenants are not applying for the WERA funds Wisconsin Emergency Rental Assistance Programs,” Mokler said.
Mokler and Scheer encourage people to have those tough conversations.
“Talk to their landlords and communicate, break down those barriers and communicate,” said Mokler.
Scheer says although the moratorium has expired there are still federal dollars to help tenants in the Fox Valley.
