MINNEAPOLIS — With horns blaring from downtown Minneapolis to the Governor’s residence, and signs urging state law makers to cancel the rent, it’s the second month in a row hundreds of thousands of unemployed Minnesotans are falling behind in their rent and mortgage payments with no relief in sight.
"Really, just having this weight of this burden of having to pay rent for who knows how long without any income, it’s a looming storm cloud over me pretty much every day," said Minneapolis resident Sam Graf.
Right now, the governor’s office has an eviction moratorium in place to keep tenants in their homes through the duration of his peace order but once its lifted, months of backed payments will be due.
State Housing Commissioner Jennifer Ho says relief efforts, though, are in the works.
"We’re looking for a $100 million of support that can help people pay their bills now, and I'm really hoping that we can get something worked out with the legislature very soon so that people know that relief is coming," said Ho.
Just last month, the senate proposed a $30 million bill to help support both the tenant, and protect the property owner, which some state lawmakers believe isn’t enough.
"I think $30 million might help with some of what happened in April but we’re in may now. This is urgent. If you’re a family that’s lost your income, its May 1st and that’s today, and if you're a landlord who has to pay your bills too, you know this is a win-win situation if we can just get some of that rental assistance money from the legislature," said Ho.
In the meantime, several tenants said on Friday, they will continue to press lawmakers for support, until an agreement is reached to fund their housing, which some call a human right.
"Right now the inequities in our society are magnified because people aren’t able to work and thus they shouldn’t have to give all of their savings away to stay in the homes they have in order to shelter in place," said Graf.
The Minnesota Housing Commissioner's Office says if you are a tenant or home owner and need emergency housing assistance, you can call 2-1-1.