PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The moratorium on evictions in Pennsylvania is set to expire on Sept. 1, and the governor is calling on the state Legislature to help prevent what he calls a potential homelessness crisis.
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court first froze evictions in March. In July, Gov. Tom Wolf extended that moratorium through August. But now, he said he doesn't think he has "the legal authority to extend it."
He points to the emergency services code that prevents any additional help through executive orders.
He is asking the General Assembly for an extension, and also to add another $100 million of federal CARES Act funding to existing assistance that goes to landlords or property owners of people who can't make rent payments.
"We cannot allow this pandemic to morph into a homelessness crisis," Wolf added.
He said they haven't had much buy-in from landlords to the current assistance of $750 a month because it isn't enough.
He's also asking for $100 million to help prevent utility shutoffs, and $25 million in mortgage assistance.
It's part of his announced fall agenda, where he's also calling for help for small businesses, affordable child care, and the legalization of recreational marijuana.
Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman said rather than reaching out over the summer to discuss his fall agenda, it looks to GOP lawmakers as though the governor is taking partisan shots at elected officials, and showing more interest in providing political cover to House and Senate Democrats.
Corman said this is the first they've heard of the need to "bail out the governor." Corman called it the "aftermath of ruling by executive order," adding that the governor's positions on COVID-19 have resulted in a much higher unemployment rate than the national average.
