By Patti Drago
President Joe Biden’s recent executive action to extend the moratorium on evictions and his call for additional financial assistance for low-income renters are welcome lifelines for those who’ve been among the hardest hit during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
But lifelines are temporary measures that don’t provide a long-term solution to a problem that’s developed over many years: a dearth of decent, affordable housing for thousands of Delawareans.
Stopgap solutions, while well-intentioned but create another problem: a growing bow wave of deferred debt that threatens to come crashing down on the most vulnerable among us.
Moody’s Analytics estimated recently that occupants of 1 in 4 rental units nationwide are behind on rent, averaging around $5,800 per household and totaling $70 billion nationwide as of early January.
It’s easy to dismiss mind-boggling numbers as abstractions, especially for those fortunate to have a stable income and all that comes with it — a balanced diet, warm clothing, comprehensive health insurance and comfortable housing.
But consider that over 16,000 Sussex households have annual incomes less than $25,000 in a state where, for a family of two, the poverty level is $17,420. If such a family’s breadwinner has been out of work, or working reduced hours, imagine how difficult it has been to pay for basic necessities – even with stimulus checks and rent forbearance.
Now, picture having to come up with thousands of dollars in back rent or face eviction and the very real prospect of homelessness.
With accommodations for the homeless in Sussex County scarce in the best of times, large-scale evictions would overwhelm shelters, resulting in rampant homelessness. Evictions might force parents to place children in different schools, further disrupting what’s already been a challenging year for learning. Lines at food pantries, already at record levels, could grow even longer.
It may be difficult for those of us who live comfortably to relate to the housing crisis, particularly if one lives in eastern Sussex County, the fastest-growing region in Delaware, where construction of luxury homes is booming.
Population growth is driving demand for service workers — jobs that typically offer low wages — and elevate the need for affordable housing. Ironically, a report commissioned by Sussex County Council in May 2019 concluded that “higher-earning households … put upward pressure on home prices and rents that make housing unattainable for lower-income households.”
The report went on to note: “The number of lower-cost homes — with rents and prices that are affordable to nearly half of Sussex County’s workforce — has either declined or is not growing as quickly as higher-cost housing.”
Members of Sussex County Council, including President Michael H. Vincent and Vice President John Rieley, have indicated that affordable housing is among their priorities. The state Senate recently formed a standing committee to address issues including “homelessness, affordable housing … (and) the threat of evictions and foreclosures due to the COVID-driven economic crash.”
Yet a housing crisis that existed long before the pandemic won’t be solved by unilateral action at the county or state level. It will take teamwork, communication and leadership by those who possess the political will to tackle a complex problem.
The past 10 months, the Cape Community Coordination for COVID-19 (CCC4COVID) coalition has helped to address urgent needs in eastern Sussex County by focusing the energy and resources of more than 80 social services, faith-based, health care, educational, nonprofit, community, business and governmental organizations.
We believe this same sort of inclusive collaboration and forum for candid communication could lead to meaningful solutions to the housing crisis now confronting us.
Delaware’s leaders should convene a task force of federal, state and county officials — along with representatives of the private sector, foundations, nonprofit organizations and community members — to identify what each can bring to the table and how each can become part of a comprehensive solution.
The first and most immediate need is to avert a new wave of homelessness when forbearances come to an end and evictions resume on a large-scale basis. Longer term, the task force can build on its partnership to identify barriers and solutions leading to creation of safe, secure and affordable housing for all Delawareans.
Our coalition doesn’t pretend to have the answers, but we’ve learned from experience that by working together we can achieve better outcomes.
We also recognize that the housing crisis isn’t limited to Sussex County or Delaware. It’s an issue across our nation.
Leaders and residents of the First State have a unique opportunity to enlist the support of the Biden administration in making Delaware a model for addressing one of the most basic human needs — safe and affordable housing for all.
Patti Drago, a retired business executive, lives in Lewes and is a member of the Cape Community Coordination for COVID-19 (CCC4COVID) coalition.
