Housing advocates sound alarm as May rents collide with coronavirus

With most rent and mortgage checks due Friday, progressives are pushing for an immediate moratorium on housing payments to ease the economic burden of the coronavirus pandemic.

The high cost of living in some of the hardest-hit states and cities, coupled with more than 26 million Americans filing for unemployment benefits since mid-March, has highlighted the financial stress facing millions of households each time a new month draws near.

“Nearly one-third of all renters in America could not pay the rent on April 1st — and that number is expected to be even higher this month,” said Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) in a statement to The Hill.

“We are at risk of a full breakdown of our housing market — including mass displacement and homelessness — if the federal government does not step in immediately,” added Omar, who has introduced a bill requiring a freeze on rent and mortgage payments during the pandemic.

The average monthly housing cost for an American household is nearly $1,500, according to Bank of America. Among renters, 38 percent were considered "rent burdened” as recently as 2015, meaning more than 30 percent of their income went to their landlord, according to the Pew Research Center.