OPINION:
Despite a ruling by the Supreme Court, President Biden has instructed his Centers For Disease Control and Prevention to extend their previous moratorium on evictions (“Biden bends to liberals, gives renters another eviction moratorium,” Page 1, Aug. 4). Rather than argue the constitutional legality of this move by an executive branch agency of our government, I offer a suggestion: Those facing eviction should have to answer a few simple questions to clarify their financial situation.
We’ve all heard that many Americans were choosing to stay home and collect unemployment benefits rather than return to work due to the increased “income” level. In order to ascertain that someone actually has no money to pay rent, we should ask them a short series of questions. My first question to a would-be evictee would be, How much were you earning per month at your previous job? My second question would be, Were you able to pay your rent in full and on time before? My third question would be, How much were you receiving per month in federal and state unemployment?
This very short list of very simple answers could clarify who really had funds to pay rent (albeit taxpayer funds) but, due to the federal eviction moratorium, opted to spend their unemployment benefits on something other than rent.
RANDALL STEPHENS
Falls Church, Va.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.