For many renters in the central San Joaquin Valley, the impacts of the coronavirus crisis could add a new crushing burden: homelessness.
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday enacted an order that prohibits the enforcement of eviction orders due to nonpayment related to COVID-19 impacts. Several other orders and legislation – at the local, state and federal level – have added additional protections for renters, homeowners, and owners of multifamily properties who are having issues paying their rent or mortgage.
Nearly two-thirds of low-income renters in Fresno County pay more than 30% of their income on rent, according to a National Low Income Housing Coalition analysis. For a person working in the retail industry, a loss of 20 hours a week – at a median wage of $12.08 per hour – means $966 less each month. For many, that’s their rent payment, gone after so many businesses shuttered in the name of public health. The median rent in Fresno County in 2019 was $1,150 per month, according to the same analysis.
