Wild, PA Democrats Call for Clarity about Rental Assistance

Today, Representatives Susan Wild (PA-07), Dwight Evans (PA-03), Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), Mike Doyle (PA-18), Matt Cartwright (PA-08), Madeleine Dean (PA-04), Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06), and Conor Lamb (PA-17) wrote to Governor Tom Wolf about the new round of rental assistance funding and urged him to avoid the pitfalls of the 2020 rental assistance program.

"As you complete this review, we ask that you continue to make every effort to ensure the root causes of the challenges faced during the last round of emergency rental assistance do not repeat themselves. We also ask that you ensure that the Commonwealth's criteria for eligibility exactly mirrors the federal criteria—avoiding renewed efforts to unnecessarily limit eligibility which will only lead to a greater number of evictions," wrote the Pennsylvania lawmakers. "Please endeavor to align any regulations and guidelines with the federal reporting requirements already mandated of the administering agencies, so local agencies are not overburdened in an attempt to satisfy multiple, and often conflicting, directions."

They specifically highlighted problems with funding allotted through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act: "While the intention was clear, Pennsylvania's execution was anything but: Families already under extreme stress were required to collect multiple documents. Landlords also struggled to collect requisite documentation. Agencies already overtaxed with unprecedented community need were asked to verify income and manage an immense paperwork burden. Finally, posing perhaps the greatest challenge, the timeline for applying for and allocating the funds was brutally short. As a result, we found ourselves at the end of November with more than half of the money allocated for that program unspent—$108 million of the allocated $175 million remained."

The lawmakers also thanked Governor Wolf for his assistance navigating this crisis: "We are grateful for your partnership in helping to safeguard the lives, health, and economic security of our mutual constituents. What remains most important is that our Commonwealth's elected officials at all levels work together to ensure that Pennsylvanians remain safely housed through the end of the crisis and that our small landlords are not forced to bear this burden alone. Together, we are confident we can achieve this outcome."

Full text of the letter can be found here.

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