PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Some Pennsylvania lawmakers are working together to extend the state's moratorium on evictions and foreclosures. Democratic lawmakers say a failure to do so could have dire consequences.
State Sen. Vincent Hughes said a bill he's co-sponsoring extends the moratorium on evictions and foreclosures for 60 days after the governor ends the disaster declaration.
“We are prepared to provide protections for folks so they can make a safe and secure transformation and live in their apartment and live and thrive in their home,” Hughes explained.
He said more than 6% of mortgages across the country are delinquent.
“Our numbers indicate that it's probably 240,000 people in Pennsylvania who are threatened with potential eviction,” he added.
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Bill co-sponsor Sen. Nikil Sibel said in a time where people need to stay home to help stop the spread of the coronavirus, a failure to extend the moratorium will lead to a number of new cases.
“The health of our society is inextricably linked to healthy housing,” he said.
Sibel added the bill will also help the state's bottom line, saying that evictions in Pennsylvania will “swell the homeless population,” which is estimated to cost the state $2.8 billion.
The senators say they are optimistic the bill will receive bipartisan support.