Homes for All to Safely Quarantine
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Demands for Maine's Governor and Legislators in Response to COVID-19
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The Role of Housing in the Fight Against COVID-19
Safe housing is essential to promote the individual and public health of all Americans. The growing spread of COVID-19 has exposed the instability of our housing system and the need for immediate action to make sure everyone has a home in which they can quarantine to protect themselves, reduce the spread of the contagion to others, and prevent the overwhelming of our healthcare system. Each person we protect from infection ensures the greater safety of us all. Put simply, housing is healthcare.
Just before the pandemic, Maine already had a shortage of over 22,000 affordable homes and a homeless population of over 2,000 people. Most individual tenants could not afford market rent for a one-bedroom apartment. Over 450 eviction cases were filed each month in 2017. The economic disruptions caused by COVID-19 will create new financial instability for hundreds of thousands of Mainers and will greatly exacerbate the housing challenges we already faced. We need to support homeowners and renters alike through this crisis.
Our Governor, legislators, and local policymakers must act immediately to keep Maine people in stable homes throughout this national emergency and recovery period.
Safe housing is essential to promote the individual and public health of all Americans. The growing spread of COVID-19 has exposed the instability of our housing system and the need for immediate action to make sure everyone has a home in which they can quarantine to protect themselves, reduce the spread of the contagion to others, and prevent the overwhelming of our healthcare system. Each person we protect from infection ensures the greater safety of us all. Put simply, housing is healthcare.
Just before the pandemic, Maine already had a shortage of over 22,000 affordable homes and a homeless population of over 2,000 people. Most individual tenants could not afford market rent for a one-bedroom apartment. Over 450 eviction cases were filed each month in 2017. The economic disruptions caused by COVID-19 will create new financial instability for hundreds of thousands of Mainers and will greatly exacerbate the housing challenges we already faced. We need to support homeowners and renters alike through this crisis.
Our Governor, legislators, and local policymakers must act immediately to keep Maine people in stable homes throughout this national emergency and recovery period.