CORRESPONDENCE - 60A - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Salas, Diana From: Luis Sarmiento<luis@elcentroculturaldemexico.org> Sent: Tuesday, May 05, 2020 5:32 PM To: eComment Cc: Iglesias, Cecilia; Solorio, Jose; Villegas, Juan; Sarmiento, Vicente; Bacerra, Phil; Penaloza, David; Pulido, Miguel Subject: 60A Public Comment -- Please expand the existing rent freeze Dear Mayor Pulido and Santa Ana City Council, As a Santa Ana resident and renter, I'm writing to request your urgent consideration of public health during this COVID-19 pandemic: Please expand - DO NOT REMOVE - the current rent freeze in Santa Ana. As numbers of COVID-related deaths and hospitalizations increase, we must ensure residents stay in their homes. For property owners concerned with the effect of this rent freeze: Federal policy including the CARES Act provides protections for those unable to make mortgage payments.* Mortgage payments have been suspended by five of the largest banks in California - Wells Fargo, US Bank, Citi and JP Morgan Chase; credit unions and state chartered banks are offering similar deferments.** There is bipartisan support for both state and federal legislation that will compensate property owners for canceling rent payments for the duration of the COVID-19 crisis. I invite Mayor and City Council, property owners, and our whole community to unite and call for a cancelation of rent and mortgage payments during this time, with the support of state and federal institutions. If the coronavirus has taught us anything, it is that we must take responsibility for vulnerable community members, for the well-being of all. Do not remove the existing rent freeze, rather extend this protection for an additional 6 months after emergency orders have been lifted. A great number of Santa Ana residents have been without income in the past two months already, and need this time to see for the well-being of our families. Thank you for your consideration of this urgent matter, Luis Sarmiento (714)425-5562 References: * "Under the provisions of the CARESAct, individuals with federally backed mortgage loans who are experiencing financial hardship due to COVID-19 can request a forbearance period by contacting their mortgage servicer. Federally backed mortgages include FHA, VA, USDA, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The CARES Act provides for affected borrowers to defer their mortgage payments for up to 180 days. Borrowers also have the right to apply far an extension of another 180 days of forbearance. There will be no penalties or fees added to the account, although regular interest will still accrue. " (https://wwwforbes.com/sites/advisor/2020/04/20/mortkage-payments-interruoted-by-covid-19-the- ederal and-state-response/#763c33f4a087 ** (https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2020-03-24/california-scrambling-to-obtain-virus- protection-gear) 611