Friday, March 29, 2024

COVID-19 Causing the Homelessness of Black and Latinos to Increase

According to health expert, Robert Blendon, Harvard Opinion Research Program Director and Professor, Black and Latino Americans are currently facing horrible financial problems due to COVID-19 and the recession that it has caused.

The COVID-19 pandemic not only has affected communities of color at a higher rate than white Americans, but it could prolong the recession caused by COVID-19 as well. Blendon claims that the population of homeless Black Americans and Latinos will increase and therefore government must step up and provide an emergency federal aid.

Since the pandemic began; 72% of Latinos and 60% of Black Americans have stated to have experience serious financial problems in their households regardless of federal aid, that is almost double that of White Americans. Furthermore, 4 in 10 Black Americans and Latinos stated to not have any savings left and 25% of them could not afford to pay their mortgage, utilities, or rent.

Blendon further stated, “We have people who were hanging on by the fingernail when there was federal aid, and there’s no federal aid [now]. We’re about to stop the limited protection that you can’t be evicted if you can’t pay your rent or utility.”

Overall, helping the Black and Latino communities has become politicized in the midst of this pandemic, but if politicians cannot figure it out, Black and Latino communities and families will suffer.

AXIOS