Foreclosures and Evictions Can Resume Thursday

Among the policy changes announced recently by Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, is the decision to resume property evictions and foreclosures on Thursday. Some other debt collection activities will also resume. Officials worry that the move comes too soon for people suffering from the loss of income due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

KCRG reports that officials with Willis Dady Homeless Services in Cedar Rapids are worried, and don't know many total households will be facing eviction. They added that they are still trying to provide support to all those still without employment due to the coronavirus pandemic. Officials say they believe it was simply too early to lift the moratorium and that doing so could compound other problems.

Officials say with such a high unemployment rate and then lifting the moratorium before people have a chance to return to work, it could result in a large number of people facing eviction and the inability to return to work because of their housing situation. KCRG also reports that other agencies could see an increase in work too. Iowa Legal Aid is seeing an increase in cases. Nearly 25% deal with housing issues.

Courts won't begin hearing eviction cases until the middle of June, but people need to be prepared. KCRG reports that the city will be setting up a program to help people in need, including tenants who have already had eviction notices filed against them. The money will go to cover up to three months of assistance with no more than $2,000 per household.