WASHINGTON – The Legal Services Corporation (LSC) has calculated it would cost $2,567,000,000 for its grantees to meet the legal needs of low-income Americans at risk of eviction.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to disrupt the lives and financial security of people across the country, experts are warning of a growing evictions crisis. Many states initially adopted rent moratoriums or halted court proceedings in eviction cases. A federal moratorium on evictions expired June 24 and a second is set to expire at the end of August. As these measures expire, experts predict a dramatic surge in the number of eviction cases. In a recent survey of LSC-funded legal services organizations, 95% of LSC grantees reported a sharp increase in eviction cases even with existing freezes. Unemployment has hit renters particularly hard, as they make up a disproportionate share of service-sector jobs that disappeared under stay-at-home orders.