HOUSING PROTECTION TO END IN JUNE

IN SAINT MARY PARISH AND ABOUTTHREE WEEKS MILLIONS OFAMERICANS COULD BE EVICTED FROMTHEIR HOMES.THE CDC’S MORATORIUM WHICH BANSLANDLORDS FROM EVICTING TENANTSUNABLE TO PAY THEIR RENT DURINGTHE ENDS ON JUNE 30TH.IS KATIE EASTER REPORTS SEVERALORGANIZATIONS ARE WORKING TOKEEP PEOPLE IN LAFAYETTE FROMBECOMING HOMELESS?I SPOKE WITH ACADIANA REGIONALCOALITION OF HOMELESSNESS.THEY SAY THEY CONTINUE TO GETCALLS EVERY DAY FROM PEOPLEFACING EVICTIONS AT LEAST ADOZEN A DAY AND NOW THEY EXPECTTO RECEIVE MORE CALLS IN THENEXT FEW WEEKS.WE’RE REALLY CONCERNED ABOUTWHAT IT’S GOING TO LOOK LIKEWHEN IT’S LIFTED ON JUNE 30TH14% THEY SAY OF US RENTERS ARENOT CAUGHT UP.HOUSING PAYMENTS ACCORDING TOARCH THE EVICTIONS NEVER STOPPEDEVEN WITH THE CDC’S MORATORIUMIN PLACE SINCE LAST YEAR, YOUKNOW, WE’RE SEEING THINGS LIKESUDDENLY THERE’S A NOISEVIOLATION OR A PET VIOLATIONRIGHT SOMETHING THAT OTHERWISEHAD BEEN OVERLOOKED, BUT NOWTHAT SOMEBODY HAS FALLEN BEHINDIN THEIR RENT, YOU KNOW, IT’SIT’S RELATIVELY EASY TO FINDSOMETHING THAT SOMEONE DOES THATTHAT’S CAUSE FOR EVICTION.APPLIES TO IT ONLY APPLIES TONON-PAYMENT.THAT CASES OR OTHER NON-PAYMENTOF OTHER FEES, BUT THERE AREOTHER GROUNDS FOR EVICTION THATIT DOES NOT THAT DOESN’T APPLYTO WALTER MCLACH.HE SAYS RENTERS WHO ARE CERTEVICTION PAPERS SHOULD CONTACTAN ATTORNEY THOSE WHO HAVE LOSTTHEIR INCOME SHOULD APPLY FORRENTAL ASSISTANCE THROUGH THEIRPARISH OR THE STATE TENANTS ALSONEED TO STAY IN COMMUNICATIONWITH THEIR LANDLORDS ABOUT LATEPAYMENTS PAYMENTS OF BACK RENTAND THEIR CURRENT SITUATION ANDSEE IF THEY WORK OUT SOMETHINGWITH THE WITH THE LANDLORD.ACCORDING TO LAFAYETTECONSOLIDATED GOVERNMENT MORETHAN 1,000 PEOPLE HAVE APPLIEDFOR RENTAL ASSISTANCE THROUGHLEAP A PROGRAM PAYING A PORTIONOF THEIR UNPAID RENT SO FAR MORETHAN 300 APPLICATIONS HAVE BEENAPPROVED TOTALING OUT TO ALITTLE OVER ONE MILLION DOLLARSOUT OF THEIR SEVEN MILLIONDOLLAR BUDGET IN LAFAYETTE KATIEEASTER KTC TV 3, AND THERE’SMORE INFORMATION ON W