Housing Crisis

Many Americans and north Mississippians are scared right now.

Many americans and north mississippians are scared right now... some jobs have started back but others haven't... soon there will be less money from unemployment but the bills...including rent will continue.

Our stephanie poole explains how some could be left without a roof over their heads.

This is the last week the $600 unemployment benefit checks will be disbursed...with several families already facing evictions.

Here at aberdeen housing authority, executive director denise dobbs says staff members are trying to make sure that doesn't happen.

" especially now,for those that need help we are allowing them to defer their rental payments, extended out at least to 12 months.

If they need it, if not, we can shorten it down.

However, we can accommodate the residents, that's what we're doing."

Dobbs says rental criteria hasn't changed but the agency is double checking paperwork.

" we have to do some things a little extra to get someone moved in now but as far as criteria, nothing has changed.

We're going to try to work with them,as much as possible.

We are going to look at everybody at a case to case basis to allow everybody to keep their homes."

Housing manager debbie mahani says due to the pandemic, a few tenants are facing the fear of losing the place they call home.

" we've had 10 families out of 109 that faced hardship.

We've worked with 8 our them already and got them situated.

All the landlords should try to accommodate them somehow.

You know, please give them a chance to partial rent, a quarter of their rent.

It's just not fair to throw someone out of their house."

Co-owner of crye leike properties unlimited hilbert williams believes it's an issue that will continue to grow.

" i'm pretty sure that's all over the nation, and it's sad cause some of these people are getting their extra check every week so actually they really have the money to pay rent."

September is when these rental agencies believe most people will be in dire need.

Williams says some of the strain on the housing market could be avoided.

" those people were making their car payments, rent payments their phone bills, so there is a small group that took advantage of that bill, that covid 19 bill, but the vast majority of the people have not."

Reporting in the golden triangle, stephanie poole,wcbi news.

Congressional leaders are debating whether they will continue this program--potentia l with less money to supplement the state benefits.

One proposal is to make it an added 200 instead of 600 dollars.