On Monday, May 4, Community Solutions is joining a National Call-In Day to advocate for additional federal funding to help the homeless response system withstand and respond to the coronavirus pandemic.
Members of Congress need to hear that people experiencing and at-risk of homelessness and homeless response organizations require additional funding to address the needs created by the coronavirus pandemic. This funding is critical to protect people experiencing homelessness, prevent further spread of COVID-19, and safeguard the capacity of our hospitals to serve everyone who needs it.
We have heard about the heroic work being undertaken every day by our partners in Built for Zero, in cities and counties across the country. But they need more resources to continue this work and keep our unhoused neighbors, and all of us, safe.
Members of Congress are returning to DC next week and are expected to consider a fourth stimulus bill soon after. We are asking for:
- At least $11.5 billion for Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG)
- A national, uniform moratorium on evictions and foreclosures
- $100 billion for Emergency Rental Assistance and Eviction Prevention
Phone Script
You can use this sample script when calling your Senator and Representative. If you don’t get through, please leave a message.
Background
In March, Congress passed the CARES Act, which allocated $12 billion in funding for Housing and Urban Development (HUD) as well as additional funds for the Federal Emergency Management Foundation (FEMA), the Small Business Administration (SBA), and local and state governments. In April, Congress passed an “interim” stimulus package to revive the SBA program and prop up funding for the health care sector and expanded testing.
