On Thursday, the hashtag #RentFreeze2020 picked up steam nationwide as Americans called on lawmakers to impose a moratorium on evictions for as long as much of the country is locked out of their jobs and unable to pay rent. (Some places, like New York City, have already declared a moratorium on eviction proceedings, but rent payments themselves are at least nominally still assessed during the crisis).
Some social media commenters noted that the stimulus, which issues $1,200 payments to tens of millions of Americans, does not account for the high cost of living in metropolitan areas like New York City and San Francisco, where rent on even a small apartment can be several times that. New Yorkers in particular noted that the state has already frozen mortgage payments, so freezing rent is only fair.
There needs to be a total freeze on Rent, Mortgage, Utilities, Credit Card Payments and Car Payments for all of USA… https://t.co/tJLdmZ1a5d— Mauison808 (@Mauison808) 1585262897.0
Govt: We're sending you $1200! Alabama: Woohoo! New York: ... Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh #RentFreeze2020— Dave (@Dave) 1585257127.0
Workers in New York can't make any income but Landlords are allowed to make income off of THEM? So we protect the p… https://t.co/CHpIhtauI3— AnaMaraya (@AnaMaraya) 1585250828.0
NYC residents can barely afford rent when they HAVE jobs. How do you expect them to pay their rent when they’ve los… https://t.co/l2MSRqLLkX— Katie Cruz (@Katie Cruz) 1585258079.0
"Rent and utility payment cancelation are the only ethical moves any leader can make." #RentFreeze2020 https://t.co/wNumyKAVnb— 𝙇𝙪𝙘𝙮 𝘿𝙞𝙖𝙫𝙤𝙡𝙤, MD (Major Downer) (@𝙇𝙪𝙘𝙮 𝘿𝙞𝙖𝙫𝙤𝙡𝙤, MD (Major Downer)) 1585251542.0
rent is due in 6 days-My hours has been cut & NYC is on lockdown- this Rent Freeze to happen yesterday because my h… https://t.co/eql0lvpLPe— Rachelle Leconte (@Rachelle Leconte) 1585250904.0
The fact that mortgages have been frozen in NY but rents haven’t should tell you a fuck-ton about how Deblasio & Cu… https://t.co/amRIHaBlDO— 🇧🇷Julie🇺🇸 (@🇧🇷Julie🇺🇸) 1585263642.0
#RentFreeze2020 You cannot expect payment when people have no money to pay, and you cannot expect people to live… https://t.co/eNHqiVzvOc— C Pells 🏳️🌈 (@C Pells 🏳️🌈) 1585262659.0
Not only are we calling on @NYCMayor for a 2020 RGB rent freeze; we call on @nycgovcuomo To enact an immediate susp… https://t.co/IZyAQGdwsB— WSNA #CancelRent (@WSNA #CancelRent) 1585240713.0
