A cadre of state lawmakers introduced a measure that seeks to reduce evictions during public health emergencies. | Unsplash
A cadre of state lawmakers introduced a measure that seeks to reduce evictions during public health emergencies. | Unsplash
A cadre of state lawmakers introduced a measure that seeks to reduce evictions during public health emergencies.
The Due Diligence Act, the website WiscPolitics.com reported, would restrict certain rent increases during public health emergencies, as well as requiring landlords or tenants to apply for emergency rental assistance prior to any evictions during public health crises.
Rep. Francesca Hong (D-Madison), Rep. Jimmy Anderson (D-Fitchburg), Rep. Evan Goyke (D-Milwaukee) and Sen. Melissa Agard (D-Madison) are the bill’s sponsors.
Agard stressed that housing is a human right.
“When facing a global pandemic, Wisconsinites should not have to worry about keeping a roof over their head or debate what necessity to go without to afford housing,” the senator tweeted on Nov. 3. “Today, I was proud to join my colleagues @StateRepHong, @Rep_Jimmy and @RepGoyke to introduce the Due Diligence Act. The Due Diligence Act would facilitate a more equitable, transparent landlord/tenant relationship during this and future public health emergencies. This bill is a path forward to ensure that we are protecting all Wisconsinites during any public health crisis.”
According to Wisconsin Public Radio, Dane County and the state capitol have their own emergency rental assistance programs that operate separately from that of the state.
The county and Madison received approximately $40 million in federal funding and were spending as much as $1.5 million each week on rental assistance as of late July, WPR reported.
When the federal eviction moratorium was in effect, fewer renters and their legal counsel appeared before judges because landlords were prohibited from evicting tenants who owed back rent.
Brown County Commissioner Paul Burke said, PBS Wisconsin reported, that around 90% of the eviction cases he was seeing were due to residents being unable to make payments.
Dane County launched its own rental-assistance program after the nationwide halt on evictions expired.
The Wisconsin State Journal reported that while the initiative got off to a slow start, there hasn’t been an increase in evictions.
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