The American Civil Liberties Union of West Virginia joined other ACLU affiliates across the country in sending letters to local elected officials urging them to issue or expand statewide moratoria against evictions and utility shut-offs, and commit to preventing mass evictions after these moratoria end.
Across the nation, the COVID-19 pandemic has already resulted in widespread and devastating economic consequences, as unemployment claims continue to climb. In the face of staggering unemployment numbers, millions of tenants face the imminent threat of losing their homes or access to utility services due to the inability to pay. The ACLU is calling for the prevention of mass evictions in the midst of this global COVID-19 public health crisis.
"The Covid-19 crisis has created significant hardships for all renters, and the burden will likely fall primarily on women and Black West Virginians,” said ACLU-WV Policy Director Eli Baumwell. “The existing moratorium on court actions does not go far enough in protecting them, and the lifting of that moratorium and other restrictions has the potential to create a housing crisis unless protections are put in place now."
In ACLU-WV’s letter, the ACLU is calling on Gov. Jim Justice to expand a comprehensive moratorium that will:
● Halt every stage of the eviction process;
● Continue to prevent mass evictions during and after the pandemic;
● Apply to all types of tenants and lease violations;
● Prohibit the collection of late fees and retaliation against tenants who assert their rights under the moratorium;
● Prohibit utility shut-offs and require restoration of previously disconnected services.
“As millions of people lose their jobs as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, renters are faced with the added threat of being put out of their homes or cut off from access to utilities during a global crisis,” said Sandra Park, senior attorney at the ACLU. “Evictions and utility shut-offs will disproportionately harm communities of color, and particularly, women of color. All residents — regardless of their circumstances or background — should have access to safe and stable housing throughout the course of this ongoing public health crisis.”
The ACLU has worked over the years to address unfair eviction screening policies, which disproportionately undermine housing opportunities for women of color and will present a barrier to safe housing opportunities if mass evictions take place.