..."Meanwhile, many unemployed tenants lack the financial cushion to cover rent during the crisis. Unemployment offices have struggled to pay out benefits in time; rental assistance is in short supply; and in Arlington County, more than 70% of low-income renters are already considered severely cost-burdened, meaning they pay more than 50% of their income on housing. In the District, 53% of low-income renters are severely cost-burdened."...

If they could appropriate whatever funding to get banks to pause mortgage payments for 3 months, and then landlords to pause rent payments for 3 months, it would be a lot more doable for people to stay home from jobs that don't allow work from home. Since rent/mortgage is often the biggest expense for both businesses and residents, it would make a bigger difference than paying unemployment, which GOP doesn't want to do either.

Some landlords are real assholes. Many small businesses around here have closed permanently because of landlords, not just reduced number of customers. It's disgusting that they are evicting people from homes.