As COVID-19 continues to spread within North Dakota communities, it’s not just concerns about health that have some North Dakotans worried. Housing is also a major issue – particularly for those whose income has been impacted because of involuntary unemployment, extended sickness or required quarantine.
As businesses across the state have laid off or furloughed workers due to the impact COVID-19 has had on the economy, many North Dakotans are struggling to keep their heads above water. Job Service North Dakota received nearly 14,000 claims for unemployment benefits over a recent nine-day period. The staggering figure makes up more than 3 percent of the state’s civilian workforce, according the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The North Dakota Supreme Court suspended all housing evictions in light of the coronavirus pandemic. But the ACLU of North Dakota is asking the state to do more. To protect the health and safety of all North Dakotans, the ACLU is calling on Gov. Doug Burgum to order a temporary eviction moratorium and freeze on foreclosures on residential property in the state.
Providing a temporary moratorium on eviction actions and a freeze on foreclosures would allow people to remain stably housed as they safeguard their health and the health of their families and other North Dakotans.
North Dakota would not be the first to place a moratorium on evictions or a freeze on foreclosures. Multiple other states, counties, cities and judicial districts across the country also have issued directives to suspend evictions during the COVID-19 crisis.
This is the right thing for Gov. Burgum to do and would be a vital tool to keep North Dakotans in their homes and to mitigate the community spread of COVID-19 in our state.
TAKE ACTION
Gov. Burgum needs to hear from you. Call or email him today to urge him to issue an executive order by April 1 that puts a freeze on evictions and foreclosures on residential property for 90 days after the COVID-19 pandemic emergency and waives late fees. Keeping families housed is critical for social, economic and public health stability in this difficult time.
Call
Call Gov. Burgum at 701-328-2200 (leave a message if no one answers).
Sample script: Hi, my name is _____ and I’m a [constituent, North Dakota resident, member of X organization, or other relevant title] and I’m calling because Gov. Burgum must use his executive power granted in the peacetime state of emergency to take immediate action amid the COVID-19 crisis. North Dakota must enact a statewide moratorium on all evictions, late fees associated with late rent and release funds for hotel vouchers that can be directed to help homeless individuals and families. This is important to me because… [students in the service industry, restaurant and bar servers and employees]. Will Gov. Burgum publicly declare a moratorium on evictions and late fees until this crisis is over.
Email Gov. Burgum at doug@nd.gov. Copy and paste sample email below (making whatever changes or additions you see fit) or click here to send your email now.
Dear Gov. Burgum,
As businesses across the state have laid off or furloughed workers due to the impact COVID-19 has had on the economy, many North Dakotans are struggling to keep their heads above water.
I’m writing to you today to ask you to issue an executive order for a temporary eviction moratorium and freeze on foreclosures on residential property in the state during the coronavirus pandemic. Doing so would not only help North Dakotans whose income has been affected by COVID-19, but also would allow people to remain stably housed as they safeguard their health and the health of their families and other North Dakotans.
Keeping families safely housed is critical for social, economic and public health stability in this difficult time. This is the right thing to do and would be a vital tool to keep North Dakotans in their homes and to mitigate the community spread of COVID-19 in our state.
Thank you.
[YOUR NAME]
[YOUR ADDRESS]