‘An Eviction Storm’: Pandemic Puts Renters At Risk In Georgia And Nationwide

Across the country, experts warn of widespread evictions as moratoriums made in light of the coronavirus pandemic expire in many states and federal unemployment checks end.

A recent study by the Aspen Institute found 19 million to 23 million U.S. renter households are at risk of eviction by Sept. 30.

In Georgia, many courts have paused in-person eviction hearings for the time being. Still,  thousands of evictions have been filed in Fulton, DeKalb and Gwinnett counties since March.

On Thursday’s special edition of “Closer Look,” host Rose Scott spoke with academics, lawyers and activists about the challenges at-risk renters face during the pandemic and what’s next as moratoriums lift and courts across the state slowly reopen.

First, Corianne Payton Scally, a principal research associate in the Metropolitan Housing and Communities Policy Center at the Urban Institute, discusses the findings of a new analysis that finds 1 in 4 U.S. rental units were covered by the CARES Act eviction moratorium.

Then, Dan Immergluck, a professor in the Urban Studies Institute at Georgia State University, discusses how the pandemic has affected affordable housing in Georgia, as well as his recommendations for solutions at the state and federal level.

And finally, a roundtable of guests — including Don Coleman, co-managing attorney at Atlanta Legal Aid; Alison Johnson, executive director of the Housing Justice League; and Georgia Legal Services eviction prevention director Susan Reif — shares what they are hearing directly from tenants and landlords across the city and state.

Guests:

• Corianne Payton Scally, a principal research associate in the Metropolitan Housing and Communities Policy Center at the Urban Institute
• Dan Immergluck, a professor in the Urban Studies Institute at Georgia State University
• Susan Reif, director of the Eviction Prevention Project at the Georgia Legal Services Program
• Don Coleman, co-managing attorney at Atlanta Legal Aid
• Alison Johnson, executive director of the Housing Justice League

To hear the full conversation, click on the audio player above.