Category Archives: Health

The Crisis of Dental Care Affordability in North America: A Tale of Two Nations

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Dental care remains a critical yet often overlooked component of overall health, with millions in Canada and the United States unable to afford basic services. For low-income individuals, the high cost of dental care exacerbates health inequities, perpetuates cycles of poverty, and strains public health systems. This article examines the systemic barriers to affordable oral health care in both countries, highlighting policy gaps, socioeconomic disparities, and the human toll of unmet dental needs.

The Canadian Context: Progress and Persistent Gaps

In Canada, approximately one-third of residents lack dental insurance, and one in four avoid dental visits due to cost, often leading to preventable complications like infections, cardiovascular issues, and diabetes-related problems. Recognizing this crisis, the federal government launched the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) in 2023, targeting uninsured households earning under 90,000 its phased rollout has left gaps. For example, adults aged 18–64 must wait until 2025 to apply, prolonging financial strain for many.

Despite these efforts, challenges persist. The CDCP’s “payer of last resort” model does not fully address accessibility barriers, such as rural “dental deserts” or provider shortages in marginalized communities. Additionally, Canada’s reliance on employer-sponsored insurance—covering 76% of insured individuals—leaves low-income workers, gig economy employees, and Indigenous populations disproportionately uninsured.

The U.S. Crisis: A Landscape of Inequity

In the U.S., over 76.5 million Americans lack dental insurance, with disparities starkly divided along racial and economic lines 5. Black and Hispanic adults are 68% and 52% more likely, respectively, to have unmet dental needs compared to white Americans, while rural residents face severe provider shortages—Alaska, Montana, and North Dakota have the highest rates of “dental deserts”. Medicaid, the primary safety net, often limits adult coverage to emergency extractions, leaving preventive care inaccessible. Even insured individuals face high deductibles and annual caps, forcing many to delay treatment until crises arise.

The consequences are dire. Poor oral health contributes to lost productivity (4.15 million workdays missed annually) and unnecessary emergency room visits, costing the U.S. healthcare system $1.8 billion in 2017 alone. Vulnerable groups, including veterans and low-income families, endure higher rates of periodontal disease and tooth loss, further entrenching health inequities.

Structural Barriers and Systemic Failures

Both nations grapple with systemic issues that compound affordability challenges:

  1. Geographic Disparities: Rural areas in the U.S. and Canada suffer from dentist shortages, with rural Canada relying on fly-in clinics and the U.S. facing a ratio of one dentist per 3,850 rural residents.
  2. Racial and Economic Inequities: Marginalized communities, including immigrants and people of color, face discrimination, language barriers, and limited access to culturally competent care.
  3. Policy Limitations: Canada’s CDCP excludes those with employer insurance, while the U.S. lacks a federal dental program, relying on fragmented state-level Medicaid policies.

Toward Equitable Solutions

Addressing this crisis requires bold policy reforms. Canada’s CDCP, though imperfect, represents a step toward universal coverage, but advocates argue for a federally funded agency to standardize care and close gaps. In the U.S., expanding Medicaid dental benefits and incentivizing providers to work in underserved areas could mitigate disparities. Both nations must prioritize integrating oral health into primary care and addressing social determinants like poverty and education.

Conclusion

The unaffordability of dental care in North America is not merely a health issue but a moral failing. While Canada’s CDCP offers hope, its success hinges on addressing accessibility and inclusivity. In the U.S., systemic overhaul is urgently needed to ensure oral health is treated as a fundamental right. Until then, millions will continue to suffer needlessly, their pain a testament to the enduring divide between privilege and poverty.

What the tiny little bugs in your carpet are, and why they could be bad news.

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Tom Kershaw & Paige Oldfield

Sun 16 February 2025 at 11:37 am GMT-8·1-min read

-Credit:Getty
-Credit:Getty

They may be small and swift, but if you notice this tiny silver creature scurrying around your home, you could be facing a significant and costly issue. Experts are advising anyone who spots a silverfish in their property to promptly check for dampness.

These shiny, teardrop-shaped insects thrive in moist conditions and are particularly fond of areas with water.

If you see one darting into or out of your skirting boards or crevices around window sills, it’s likely a sign of damp and moisture within your property. If not addressed, dampness can lead to a host of problems, including cracked bricks, rotting joists, decaying plaster, and spreading mould spores. In extreme cases, it can even compromise the structural integrity of the property and impact air quality.

Dampness can result from various factors, such as leaky drainpipes, condensation, ageing damp proofing, or inadequate ventilation, especially in bathrooms or kitchens where water vapour tends to linger. Identifying the cause can be tricky, but the presence of silverfish indoors usually signals that there’s dampness requiring attention.

Silverfish can be a sign of huge issues -Credit:Getty
Silverfish can be a sign of huge issues -Credit:Getty

The sooner signs of dampness are detected, the easier it will be to eradicate the bugs. It recommends looking for indications on walls like wet or damp patches, peeling wallpaper, and flaking plaster.

Other telltale signs include damp and musty smells, rotting wood, and the emergence of mould and mildew on walls, floors, or ceilings.

Among the proposed remedies are utilising a dehumidifier, maintaining good ventilation in your home, inspecting your gutters for leaks, applying damp-proof paint to your walls and, if necessary, engaging a professional to address areas impacted by rising dampness.

Originally published on Yahoo! United Kingdom

Arguments for Slumlords as a Source of Affordable Housing

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  1. Market Necessity: In areas with severe housing shortages, slumlords may provide the only available option for low-income individuals, preventing homelessness.
  2. Economic Realities: Some landlords claim they cannot improve properties without raising rents, which could displace tenants. Low-income tenants might prioritize cost over quality due to limited options.

Criticisms of Slumlords as a Blight:

  1. Exploitative Practices: Charging high rents for substandard housing capitalizes on tenants’ desperation, often violating health/safety codes.
  2. Health and Safety Risks: Poor conditions (e.g., mold, pests, structural issues) harm physical and mental health, disproportionately affecting marginalized communities.
  3. Moral Concerns: Profiting from inadequate housing perpetuates inequality and dehumanizes tenants, prioritizing profit over human dignity.
  4. Community Impact: Neglected properties contribute to neighborhood blight, reducing investment and perpetuating cycles of poverty.

Systemic Context:

  • Root Causes: Slumlords thrive in systems with inadequate affordable housing, weak regulation, and income inequality. They are a symptom of broader failures in housing policy.
  • Regulatory Gaps: Weak enforcement of housing standards allows slumlords to operate, while insufficient subsidies or public housing leave tenants with few alternatives.

Conclusion:

Slumlords are primarily a blight, exacerbating poverty and inequality through exploitation and neglect. While they may fill a temporary gap in housing supply, their practices harm individuals and communities. Addressing the issue requires systemic solutions:

  • Policy Interventions: Strengthen tenant protections, enforce housing codes, and expand affordable housing initiatives.
  • Ethical Alternatives: Promote public housing, rent control, and community land trusts to provide dignified, sustainable housing.

Ultimately, the existence of slumlords underscores the need for structural reforms rather than tolerating exploitative stopgaps.

slumlords provide affordable housing. In many cities, there’s a shortage of affordable housing, so even if the housing is substandard, it might be the only option for low-income individuals or families. Without these slumlords, maybe there would be even fewer options, leading to homelessness. But then, the counterargument is that the conditions in these properties are terrible, possibly violating health and safety codes. So even if it’s affordable, is it acceptable for people to live in such conditions?

You’ve highlighted a critical tension in the debate about slumlords and affordable housing: the trade-off between availability and quality. Let’s break this down further:

The Argument That Slumlords Provide Affordable Housing:

  1. Housing Shortages: In many cities, affordable housing is scarce due to rising costs, gentrification, and insufficient public housing. Slumlords fill a gap by offering low-cost options, even if the conditions are poor.
  2. Preventing Homelessness: For some low-income individuals or families, substandard housing may be the only alternative to living on the streets or in shelters, which can be even more precarious.
  3. Market Realities: Slumlords often operate in neighborhoods where property values are low, and the cost of maintaining or improving housing exceeds what tenants can pay. Without them, these properties might remain vacant or be redeveloped into unaffordable housing.

The Counterargument: Unacceptable Living Conditions:

  1. Health and Safety Risks: Substandard housing often violates health and safety codes, exposing tenants to hazards like mold, lead paint, pests, faulty wiring, and structural instability. These conditions can lead to serious health problems, especially for vulnerable populations like children and the elderly.
  2. Exploitation: Slumlords often charge rents that are disproportionately high relative to the quality of the housing, exploiting tenants who have no other options.
  3. Moral and Ethical Concerns: Allowing people to live in such conditions raises ethical questions about dignity and human rights. Affordable housing should not come at the cost of basic safety and well-being.
  4. Long-Term Costs: Poor housing conditions can perpetuate cycles of poverty by affecting tenants’ health, education, and employment opportunities, ultimately costing society more in healthcare, social services, and lost productivity.

The Broader Systemic Issue:

The existence of slumlords is a symptom of deeper systemic failures:

  • Lack of Affordable Housing: Governments and private developers have not built enough affordable housing to meet demand, leaving low-income individuals with few options.
  • Weak Regulation and Enforcement: In many places, housing codes are not strictly enforced, allowing slumlords to operate with impunity.
  • Economic Inequality: Rising income inequality and stagnant wages make it difficult for many people to afford decent housing, forcing them into substandard options.

Is It Acceptable?

While slumlords may provide a temporary solution to housing shortages, the conditions they offer are fundamentally unacceptable. Affordable housing should not come at the cost of health, safety, or dignity. The solution lies in addressing the root causes of the problem:

  • Policy Solutions: Governments should invest in affordable housing, enforce stricter housing codes, and provide subsidies or incentives for landlords to improve properties.
  • Community Initiatives: Nonprofits and community land trusts can develop and maintain affordable, high-quality housing for low-income residents.
  • Tenant Protections: Stronger tenant rights and rent control measures can prevent exploitation and ensure that housing remains affordable and habitable.

In conclusion, while slumlords may fill a gap in the short term, their existence is a symptom of systemic failures that need to be addressed. Affordable housing should not mean substandard housing, and society must strive to provide safe, dignified living conditions for all.

Is There a Fundamental Logic to Life?

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 by Matt Williams

One of the more daunting questions related to astrobiology—the search for life in the cosmos—concerns the nature of life itself. For over a century, biologists have known that life on Earth comes down to the basic building blocks of DNA, RNA, and amino acids. What’s more, studies of the fossil record have shown that life has been subject to many evolutionary pathways leading to diverse organisms. At the same time, there is ample evidence that convergence and constraints play a strong role in limiting the types of evolutionary domains life can achieve.

For astrobiologists, this naturally raises questions about extraterrestrial life, which is currently constrained by our limited frame of reference. For instance, can scientists predict what life may be like on other planets based on what is known about life here on Earth? An international team led by researchers from the Santa Fe Institute (SFI) addressed these and other questions in a recent paper. After considering case studies across various fields, they conclude that certain fundamental limits prevent some life forms from existing.

The research team was led by Ricard Solé, the head of the ICREA-Complex Systems Lab at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra and an External Professor at the Santa Fe Institute (SFI). He was joined by multiple SFI colleagues and researchers from the Institute of Biology at the University of Graz, the Complex Multilayer Networks Lab, the Padua Center for Network Medicine (PCNM), Umeå University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the Georgia Institute of Technology, the Tokyo Institute of Technology, and the European Centre for Living Technology (ECLT).

Artist’s impression of Earth during the Archean Eon. Credit: Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

The team considered what an interstellar probe might find if it landed on an exoplanet and began looking for signs of life. How might such a mission recognize life that evolved in a biosphere different from what exists here on Earth? Assuming physical and chemical pre-conditions are required for life to emerge, the odds would likely be much greater. However, the issue becomes far more complex when one looks beyond evolutionary biology and astrobiology to consider synthetic biology and bioengineering.

According to Solé and his team, all of these considerations (taken together) come down to one question: can scientists predict what possible living forms of organization exist beyond what we know from Earth’s biosphere? Between not knowing what to look for and the challenge of synthetic biology, said Solé, this presents a major challenge for astrobiologists:

“The big issue is the detection of biosignatures. Detecting exoplanet atmospheres with the proper resolution is becoming a reality and will improve over the following decades. But how do we define a solid criterion to say that a measured chemical composition is connected to life? 

“[Synthetic biology] will be a parallel thread in this adventure. Synthetic life can provide profound clues on what to expect and how likely it is under given conditions. To us, synthetic biology is a powerful way to interrogate nature about the possible.”

The sequence where amino acids and peptides come together to form organic cells. Credit: peptidesciences.com

To investigate these fundamental questions, the team considered case studies from thermodynamics, computation, genetics, cellular development, brain science, ecology, and evolution. They also consider previous research attempting to model evolution based on convergent evolution (different species independently evolve similar traits or behaviors), natural selection, and the limits imposed by a biosphere. From this, said Solé, they identified certain requirements that all lifeforms exhibit:

“We have looked at the most fundamental level: the logic of life across sales, given several informational, physical, and chemical boundaries that seem to be inescapable. Cells as fundamental units, for example, seem to be an expected attractor in terms of structure: vesicles and micelles are automatically formed and allow for the emergence of discrete units.”

The authors also point to historical examples where people predicted some complex features of life that biologists later confirmed. A major example is Erwin Schrödinger’s 1944 book What is Life? in which he predicted that genetic material is an aperiodic crystal—a non-repeating structure that still has a precise arrangement—that encodes information that guides the development of an organism. This proposal inspired James Watson and Francis Crick to conduct research that would lead them to discover the structure of DNA in 1953.

However, said Solé, there is also the work of John von Neumann that was years ahead of the molecular biology revolution. He and his team refer to von Neumann’s “universal constructor” concept, a model for a self-replicating machine based on the logic of cellular life and reproduction. “Life could, in principle, adopt very diverse configurations, but we claim that all life forms will share some inevitable features, such as linear information polymers or the presence of parasites,” Solé summarized.

The first implementation of von Neumann’s self-reproducing universal constructor. Three generations of machines are shown: the second has nearly finished constructing the third. Credit: Wikimedia/Ferkel

In the meantime, he added, much needs to be done before astrobiology can confidently predict what forms life could take in our Universe:

“We propose a set of case studies that cover a broad range of life complexity properties. This provides a well-defined road map to developing the fundamentals. In some cases, such as the inevitability of parasites, the observation is enormously strong, and we have some intuitions about why this happens, but not yet a theoretical argument that is universal. Developing and proving these ideas will require novel connections among diverse fields, from computation and synthetic biology to ecology and evolution.”

The team’s paper, “Fundamental constraints to the logic of living systems,” appeared in Interface Focus (a Royal Society publication).

Further Reading: Santa Fe Institute, Interface Focus

Originally Published January 2nd, 2025 at Universe Today.

Authored by: Matt Williams

Canada’s New Disability Benefit: A step forward, but is it enough?

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The Canada Disability Benefit (CDB) is set to launch in July 2025 but not much is known about it, yet

(Play Media above to listen to this article)

In July 2025, a new era dawns for Canadians with disabilities. The Canada Disability Benefit (CDB) is set to launch, promising a much-needed financial lifeline for adults aged 18 to 64. It’s a significant shift in how the government approaches disability support, but the devil, as they say, is in the details.

The CDB will offer a maximum annual payment of $2,400 – that’s $200 a month – for the initial period from July 2025 to June 2026. Think of it as a foundational layer, a structured payment designed to ease the crushing financial weight many disabled Canadians carry. It’s a far cry from a silver bullet, however.

——————–

Before the CDB, the landscape was a patchwork quilt of provincial programs and the Canada Pension Plan Disability (CPP-D). While helpful, these existing systems often left individuals struggling.

“It won’t make much of a difference, $200 doesn’t go very far these days,” she adds, “If the government really wants to make a difference in my life and other disabled people they need to turn $200 into $500,” says Rae-Darlene Lavoie, who lives with Multiple Sclerosis and is wheelchair bound.

Many provincial programs are notoriously stingy, imposing restrictive eligibility criteria and offering paltry sums that barely cover the basics. It’s like trying to fill a bathtub with a teaspoon – a Sisyphean task, to say the least.

Amanda MacKenzie, national director of external affairs for March of Dimes Canada, painted a stark picture. She highlighted the pervasive reality of many disabled Canadians living on less than $30,000 annually. This isn’t just a statistic; it’s a reflection of a system that, until now, has fallen short.

The CDB aims for a more equitable, consistent approach, tailoring payments to individual and spousal income. While this is a step in the right direction, critics argue that $200 a month simply isn’t enough to meet the escalating cost of living, especially for those with complex medical needs. The whispers of inadequacy are loud, and advocates are pushing for a substantial increase.

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Service Canada promises detailed application information in Spring 2025. This is good news; clarity is crucial. However, the CDB’s true efficacy hinges on its implementation and the government’s responsiveness to ongoing concerns. Will it alleviate the financial strain, or will it merely offer a palliative, a band-aid on a gaping wound?

The CDB’s arrival coincides with a broader, much-needed conversation about disability rights and financial security. Advocacy groups are pushing for a holistic approach, viewing the CDB as a single piece of a much larger puzzle. They’re clamouring for increased funding for support services, accessible housing, and improved healthcare – all vital components of a truly inclusive society.

The CDB Is both a beacon of hope and a test of the government’s commitment. It’s a starting point, a foundation upon which a more equitable system can be built. But its success depends entirely on continuous dialogue, active listening, and a willingness to adapt and adjust based on the lived experiences of those the benefit is intended to serve.

The journey to true inclusivity is a marathon, not a sprint, and the CDB could mark a significant mile marker, but the race will still be far from over.

Article Originally published by Elliot Lake Today’ Web Site, click here.

Authored by Lisa Rene-de-Cotret, reporter for ElliotLakeToday.com/

Appeal for Assistance in Our Human Journey

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Greetings,

As we come together closer in our individual cultural bubbles there is an increasing need for those of us on the humanitarian front line to find support from these developing networks.

We at The Urban Survivor – on the Social Media Map since the year 2000 – are now entering a new stage of social development as we find ourselves with new understandings of boundaries and borders.

Even the smallest donation helps – it could be an assistance to someone’s educational alignment, a day’s meal, a gift of knowledge that someone cares and the renewed faith in the power of human piety and the organization of collective experience.

Thank you for reading and more than ever, thank you for caring.

The Urban Survivor

https://theurbansurvivor.org/

Homelessness: How does it happen?

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Having a safe and stable place to call home is central to leading a healthy and prosperous life. In 2021, we asked Canadian households if they had ever experienced some form of homelessness in their lifetime. Over one in ten (11.2%) Canadians or 1,690,000 people reported that they had.

Homelessness is often thought of as living in a shelter, or completely unhoused in an encampment or public space. This kind of homelessness in Canada is referred to as absolute homelessness, an experience shared by 2.2% of households at some point in their lives. There are, however, many more Canadians (10.5%) who have experienced hidden homelessness, like couch surfing, because they had nowhere else to live.

Inequities and pathways of homelessness

This lack of stable housing can result in disparities between groups of people, with some more or less likely to have faced homelessness than others. For example, Indigenous households (29.5%) were almost three times as likely to have experienced some form of homelessness when compared with the total population, while racialized (9.5%) and immigrant (8.3%) households were below the national average. Similarly, recent point-in-time counts of homeless shelters nation-wide have found that 35% of respondents identify as Indigenous.

What drives people into homelessness in Canada and why have so many Canadians found themselves without a home? We asked Canadians to tell us what happened leading up to their homelessness episode, and for those who experienced hidden homelessness, we asked those who had been homeless for more than a month. Here’s what they told us…

Financial challenges are the leading cause of homelessness

Deteriorating housing affordability following the onset of the pandemic, combined with higher unemployment and fewer job vacancies in recent months, along with a surge in inflation throughout 2021 and 2022, has led to higher costs for essential goods and services. These factors continue to place financial pressures on many households across Canada.

In the fall of 2022, almost half (44.0%) of Canadians were very concerned with their household’s ability to afford housing or rent. So, it comes as no surprise that the most reported reason leading to homelessness was financial issues (41.8%).

Victims of abuse may have nowhere to go

The link between abusive home situations and homelessness is an ongoing concern as the incidence of  family violence in Canada rose for the fifth consecutive year in 2021, with women and girls accounting for two-thirds of the victims.

Relationship issues (36.9%) was the second leading factor driving Canadians into homelessness. A related driver was fleeing abuse (13.3%)—a common pathway into homelessness for many, but four times more likely for women than for men (20.9% vs 5.2%).

When looking at absolute homelessness exclusively, these figures double—with just over two in five women (40.4%) reporting absolute homelessness at some point as a result of fleeing abuse, compared with 12.1% of men.

Health issues can interrupt housing stability

While financial and relationship issues are the most common causes of homelessness, health-related issues can also lead to homelessness episodes.

Canadians who have experienced any form of homelessness were more likely to report fair or poor mental health (38.0% versus 17.3%) than the overall population. More respondents listed health issues as a major factor contributing to absolute homelessness (16.5%) than to hidden homelessness (8.9%).

Canadians experiencing homelessness and underlying mental health conditions have also been highly represented in recent opioid hospitalizations.

Moving doesn’t always lead to finding a home

Canadians move for a variety of reasons, including changing household size, employment, better housing or neighbourhoods, and evictions, leading to many diverse experiences of hidden homelessness.

Other notable drivers of hidden homelessness are relocation (20.9%) and waiting to move into a new home (16.0%). Over one in three households relocating at some point in the past reported waiting over six months in a state of hidden homelessness.

Becoming housed may not be the end of housing need

Households experiencing homelessness in the past were more likely to be living in dwellings in need of major repairs or in core housing need. No matter how someone becomes homeless, housing (or the lack thereof) has been shown to have a significant effect on one’s future—for better or for worse.

Originally Published on a Federal Canadian Site; StatsCan December 06th, 2023

Hello, Happy New Year !

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The year began with numerous challenges, including the loss of several notable celebrities and countless others whose names we may not know. As we reflect on their passing, we acknowledge their departure with a heartfelt “rest in peace.” They have moved beyond this mortal realm to a higher plane of existence, where the physical sensations and struggles that burden the human mind are no longer felt. In this new state of freedom, they leave behind the fragile shell of flesh and blood.

In times of loss and reflection, the importance of giving meaningful gifts becomes even more apparent. Amazing gifts from a jewelry store not only honor the memories of those we have lost but also provide comfort and connection to those who remain. Whether it’s a thoughtful gesture or a cherished keepsake, these gifts can help bridge the gap between our present experiences and the enduring legacy of loved ones, offering solace and celebrating the impact they had on our lives.


Saying No to Overtime

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For hourly workers, earning time and a half can sometimes be awesome and well worth the extra hours. But it can be less than great when you have plans or want to spend time with your family. Unfortunately, saying no to overtime is a bit difficult because of something called mandatory overtime.

What is Mandatory Overtime?

As defined by Business Management Daily, mandatory overtime is “the practice of requiring employees to work more than a standard 40-hour workweek.” Other words for it are forced or compulsory overtime. Although an employee may refuse to work mandatory overtime, it is completely legal for an employer to fire an employee that chooses to do so. Additionally, paystub generation is an essential component of accurate record-keeping and payroll management. Read this article to learn more.

The Fair Labor Standards act (FLSA) is the relevant law when it comes to mandatory overtime. Instead of prohibiting employees working over 40 hours a week, it states that all such extra hours are paid at one and a half the hourly rate. For those who are self employed, it’s crucial to manage their time and workload effectively to avoid burnout.

Employers like mandatory overtime for several reasons. They can use mandatory overtime as needed during busier times of the year without having to hire additional workers.

Saying No to Overtime

So, now that we know what mandatory overtime is, how could you say no when you have a conflict?

Make a Plan

Before you tell your boss, you can’t do overtime, plan out your answer. What’s your reason? Most managers can be understanding of conflicts like taking care of your kids or a loved one, or plans you already made well in advance. If you’re dealing with burnout and are concerned you won’t be able to do the work well without resting, hopefully your boss will understand that as well.

It’s also important to keep in mind how much overtime you’ve been saying no to lately. If this is a position where overtime is expected, you may need to pick your battles when it comes to asking to not work over 40 hours.

Talk to Your Boss

Now that you have a plan, it’s time to talk things over with your boss. Despite the name of this article, try not to actually say the word “no.” That can be seen as negative. You just want to explain to your boss what’s going on, and why you can’t take on extra hours now.

If They Say No

If your boss denies your request to not take on overtime, you might evaluate your current job. If you truly have a reason for not being able to do the overtime, it’s hopefully resolvable. It’s also possible that the position you’re in is just one that requires frequent overtime, and you aren’t currently a good fit for it.

COVID – 19 and Evictions

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In December 2019, the first case of COVID-19 was reported in China. Since then, the coronavirus has struck the entire world by surprise. The importance of physical touch and contact was bought into emphasis as the entire world went into lockdowns and people were made to isolate and quarantine within the walls of their homes. Since the novel coronavirus spreads at an exceedingly fast rate, it poses a huge threat to public health with its high mortality rate.

Black and white image of a house’s front door and window

Temporary Protection from Eviction

COVID-19 has affected almost all areas of our daily lives, be it financial, personal, educational or professional. Adjusting to the new normal has indeed been a challenge for people all around the globe. However, health care providers and people in authority are working round-the-clock to ensure the wellbeing of as many people as they can.

As a response to this global threat, state and local governments have taken drastic measures to ensure public health and safety. When it comes to housing, eviction laws in several countries, including the US, have been temporarily altered to not only prevent the spread of this disease but also facilitate people who are struggling with financial issues.

Providing stable housing is an effective measure because it allows people to abide by the stay-at-home and social distancing measures recommended by state and local authorities. It also reduces the number of homeless people residing in congregate settings or shelters. Improved living conditions are bound to reduce the spread of this virus.

The Final Word

The laws amended in the light of COVID 19 provide increased protection to tenants and renters. From March 1, 2020, to September 30, 2021, all landlords and property owners have been advised not to evict any residents if the sole reason for their eviction is their inability to provide housing payment. The state has developed a rental assistance program to reduce financial distress on both landowners and renters. All tenants that qualify for this program will be provided with financial assistance during and beyond this period to help reduce their struggles.