A group of PA senators hope to pass a measure to prevent evictions and foreclosures

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, PA — Two local state lawmakers are among a handful of Pennsylvania legislators putting forth a proposal to help keep residents in their homes longer during this time of uncertainty due to the coronavirus pandemic.

State Sens. Vincent Hughes, D-Philadelphia/Montgomery, and Art Haywood, D-Philadelphia/Montgomery, announced this week they and other fellow senators from the region are seeking to pass what they termed “sweeping legislation” designed to pick up aid to Pennsylvania renters and homeowners where federal eviction and foreclosure moratoria left off.

The proposal, also supported by State Sens. Nikil Saval, D-Philadelphia, and State Sen. Jay Costa, D-Allegheny, would require landlords seeking to evict tenants for failing to pay rent to apply for relief from the Emergency Rental Assistance Program, according to information about the measure provided by Haywood's office.

Under the proposal, courts overseeing the eviction process would also be required to offer a 60-day continuance until a tenant’s rental assistance application decision is reached.

And finally, mortgage service providers would have to inform borrowers of financial programs that are designed to help prevent foreclosure. They would also be required to halt foreclosure proceedings until they are compliant with federal loss mitigation guidelines, according to information about the proposed legislation.

“For the past 18 months, Pennsylvanians have endured compounding crises – the largest public health crisis in generations, layered on top of a decades-long housing crisis,” Sen. Hughes said in a statement. “Our highest priority, as legislators, is the health and well-being of our people."

Hughes went on to state that in Philadelphia, in which is senatorial district is included, linking struggling tenants with rental assistance has dramatically reduced eviction filings.

With a potential end coming to the eviction moratorium, the lawmakers are worried that people could soon be more easily removed from their homes unless further action is taken.

“This legislation to protect Pennsylvania tenants and homeowners from eviction and foreclosure is critical,” Sen. Haywood stated.

Haywood's 4th senatorial district includes all of Abington Township while the 7th district represented by Hughes represents all of Upper Dublin and Whitemarsh Townships.

The senators behind the measure say that their proposal comes on the heels of ever-rising COVID-19 infection rates, with positivity rates currently at their highest levels since back in February of this year.

A news release from Haywood’s office says that when the previous eviction moratorium expired at the end of July, “a wave of panic struck renters.

“Requiring landlords to apply for rental assistance as a precursor to filing eviction for nonpayment has a proven track record in Pennsylvania,” the news release states. “This approach has been used as part of a successful eviction diversion program by the City of Philadelphia, which consequently saw the number of eviction filings drop by more than 75 percent.”

Costa, the senator from western Pennsylvania, said that when Congress made more than $1.5 billion in emergency rental assistance available to Pennsylvania to address rent and utility delinquencies, very few counties had rental assistance programs ready for the sudden influx of money, which in turned caused heavy delays in getting money to the folks who need it.

“We know the necessary funding is available to alleviate the economic stresses the pandemic has put on homeowners, landlords, and tenants alike, and through this legislation, we can ensure that people stay housed without it coming at the expense of landlords and mortgage companies,” Costa said in a statement. “Knowing that evicting people from their homes is detrimental to our public health and can interfere with efforts to slow the ongoing pandemic, we need an all hands on deck approach to address this matter.”