MILWAUKEE – Milwaukee County Supervisor Sequanna Taylor has introduced a resolution calling on Governor Tony Evers to suspend a Wisconsin law that allows landlords to terminate a residential lease for failure to pay rent and calling on the federal government to forgive all current and outstanding rent or mortgage payments for the duration of the pandemic emergency.
“The coronavirus has compelled us to take bold and unusual steps to protect the health of our community. We must also be willing to take bold and unusual steps to protect the economic security of working families,” said Supervisor Taylor. “Safe and secure housing is a right and it is essential to following the “Safer at Home” emergency order. If we don’t act now to ensure that those who have lost their source of income through no fault of their own can stay in their homes after pandemic is over, we will be confronted with another crisis of housing insecurity.”
“Under the Safer at Home order a lot of Milwaukee residents were labeled as non-essential employees and instructed to remain home,” said Supervisor Marcelia Nicholson. “Subsequently, this put a lot of workers under severe financial strife. People are now not only faced with the dilemma of how to stay healthy, but also how they will afford essential needs like food, medicine, and keeping a roof over their head. As elected officials, we cannot continue to operate as if this isn’t also a major crisis.”
“With the Stay at Home order, tens of thousands of citizens in Milwaukee County cannot go to work. Therefore, they should not be evicted for inability to pay rent,” said Supervisor Steve Shea.
The Milwaukee Board of Supervisors is expected to consider Taylor’s resolution on Thursday.
