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Smart Talk: An eviction crisis is looming

Affordable housing costs impact both renters and landlords, can both be saved?

Mike Fallaro and Lisa Swinehart lost work during the pandemic and have been threatened with eviction from their Kensington rowhouse. Two of their three children are scheduled to start school this week. (Jessica Kourkounis for Keystone Crossroads)

Mike Fallaro and Lisa Swinehart lost work during the pandemic and have been threatened with eviction from their Kensington rowhouse. Two of their three children are scheduled to start school this week. (Jessica Kourkounis for Keystone Crossroads)

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A federal eviction moratorium was issued by the Centers for Disease Control in early September.

The CDC initiated the action to help stop the spread of the virus by allowing people to isolate in their homes. They also cited housing stability as a reason because homeless shelters and places where people live in group settings put them at higher risk for catching the virus.

The order protects renters from eviction for not paying their rent, however, unless the moratorium is renewed that protection ends the last day of December. 

Local housing advocates say that since November, nearly 1300 evictions were filed in Dauphin County alone and unless something changes there will be hundreds of people evicted from their homes at the end of the month.

Appearing on Smart Talk to discuss the issues are Caleb Cossick, a volunteer organizer with Greater Harrisburg Tenants United, Brittany Mellinger, with Lancaster Housing Opportunity Partnership and the Director of the Housing Equality and Equity Institute, and Todd Capitao, Tabor Community Services, Director of Financial Empowerment.

Also on the program is Rita Dallago, Executive Director with the Pennsylvania Residential Owners Association who will address the other side of the issue; if landlords can’t collect rent, they can’t pay their bills, either.

Iran and the assassination of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh

Iran’s top nuclear scientist was killed in November in what is reported as a targeted assassination. Iran blamed Israel for the murder and vowed to retaliate. 

Mehdi Noorbaksh Ph.D., Professor of International Affairs and Business Harrisburg University of Science and Technology and Vice President, World Affairs Council Harrisburg will join Smart Talk to offer his perspective on the recent events in the region.

 

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