As Eviction Protection For PA Residents Ends, Wolf Urges Action

HARRISBURG, PA — With his order protecting Pennsylvania renters and homeowners from eviction and foreclosure set to expire on Sept. 1, Gov. Tom Wolf urged lawmakers Wednesday to extend those protections.

In letters to the House and Senate, Wolf urged the legislature to temporarily extend the moratoriums and fix what he called defects in a recently created program to help renters and homeowners.

In early July, Wolf issued an executive order that almost all evictions and foreclosures in Pennsylvania be postponed through the end of August. Now, he says, state law does not allow for further relief related to temporary housing.

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A law enacted in May provides $150 million for rental assistance and $25 million for help with mortgages. The money is from the federal CARES Act. But, Wolf says the program is helping fewer people than intended, in part because of at $750 cap on assistance.

"The General Assembly must act to fix these problems immediately to provide meaningful assistance to this vital sector of the economy and prevent the displacement of Pennsylvanians as we continue to fight the COVID-19 virus," Wolf said. "The legislature should raise the $750 a month payment to at least 13 percent of HUD limits which would actually assist landlords in higher cost areas, lead to greater participation in the program and increase the number of tenants assisted."

The fate of the request by Wolf, a Democrat, is uncertain in the Republican-controlled legislature. Leaders in the Senate and House, who are set to return to session next week, have complained that Wolf has not been in communication with them on agenda items and is now "passing the buck" to them.

"It is disingenuous for this governor to put forward an unaffordable legislative agenda and require taxpayers to bail him out of his unilateral mandates that have devastated their lives and livelihoods," House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff said in a statement responding to Wolf's overall agenda on Tuesday.

The governor proposed an additional $100 million for the rent-relief program while unveiling his fall legislative agenda. The help come in the form of a grant and be paid directly to landlords or property owners.