Letter to the editor: Help renters

To the editor:

The CDC’s eviction moratorium protects families from the public health dangers of eviction. But the future of small landlords and tenants teeters in the balance of policymakers.

Prior to the pandemic, Kansas’ unemployment was steady at about 3%. Effects of COVID-19 quadrupled this rate in April. As the state began to heal in July, the rate dropped back to 7.2%. This rate is expected to continue through 2021.

Kansans need a relief package that prioritizes emergency rental assistance. Rep. Steve Watkins must encourage fellow Congress members to enact a robust COVID-19 deal that includes $100 billion in emergency rental assistance.

Hunter Smith,

Lawrence