Economists Fear Mass Evictions As Federal Unemployment Benefits Dry Up, State Reminds Pennsylvanians Of State Benefits Available
HARRISBURG (KDKA) -- With the coronavirus pandemic surging across the country, at the same time, tens of millions of Americans are dealing with new economic uncertainty.
Economists fear that a tidal wave of evictions are coming.
For one, the federal ban that temporarily stopped landlords from evicting people expires this weekend.
Also, the federal jobless benefits that Congress approved in April -- $600 per week per person, expires this weekend.
Roughly thirty million Americans are now relying on those unemployment checks.
Without that money, 19 to 23 million Americans are at risk of eviction by September., according to a study by the Aspen Institute.
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle agree that that they do not want a short term extension.
House Democrats passed a bill two months ago to extend the $600 weekly payments through January.
Senate Republicans say they'll introduce their plan on Monday.
Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell says Republicans support extending some jobless benefits, but Senate Republicans and the White House disagree on how much will be paid out.
The Trump administration says it doesn't want people to get paid more money to stay at home than to work.
Negotiations could take weeks, leaving tens of millions of jobless Americans in limbo.
As federal unemployment benefit programs are expiring, the Pa. Departments of Labor and Industry and Human Services are reminding Pennsylvanians that benefits through state programs are available.
This includes the 'Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation.'
You can apply for these benefits through the state's 'Compass' online tool.
A link to the tool can be found online.
The program is set to run through the end of August.