On Friday, Dec. 11, fifty Arizona Interfaith Network (AIN) Clergy and Leaders gathered with reporters to tell the stories of families experiencing homelessness or facing eviction at the end of this month. AIN Clergy called for our elected officials in Arizona to take decisive action to eliminate this avoidable housing crisis.	Click here to sign the petition to end the eviction crisis.
If a vaccine can be created in record time, we can work, collectively, to keep the most vulnerable in their homes.

Bishop Jennifer Reddall of the Episcopal Diocese of Arizona and Rabbi John Linder, Temple Solel, co-chaired the meeting with leaders from Northern Arizona Interfaith Council (NAIC), Pima County Interfaith (PCI) and Valley Interfaith Project (VIP).

Fr. Robert Fambrini (St. Francis Xavier) reminded us that "this mostly affects the poor, immigrants, and communities of color. We must act now to keep families in their homes, those who already have a roof over their heads, while we do the hard work of helping those families who were wrongfully and immorally evicted at their most vulnerable find new places to live."

Josefina Sanchez, of St. Andrew's in Glendale, told the story of a single mother of four children, who lost her job and their home after contracting COVID-19 and spending a month in the hospital. Now, doubling up with a relative, they are again short of rent money and facing eviction. There were equally tragic stories from NAIC and PCI leaders.

Bishop Reddall outlined the actions that must be taken:

• We are calling on Governor Ducey to extend his executive order for the Dec. 31 moratorium on evictions through June.
• Rental assistance is desperately needed. We are urging Governor Ducey to designate for tenants and landlords $50 million of the $313 million in remaining CARES Act funds.
• Asking the Arizona Congressional Delegation to swiftly pass a relief bill now that includes rental assistance and mortgage forbearance.
• County and city officials can also address the crisis by standardizing and streamlining the process to apply for and receive this aid.

Rabbi Linder summed up these requests: "It is time to match the moment. This is not just a public health issue - this is also a moral issue. Those least able to protect themselves are most threatened in the face of the virus. We gather today as leaders of communities of faith to call on our elected officials to act to meet the gravity of the moment.  If a vaccine can be created in record time, we can work, collectively, to keep the most vulnerable in their homes."

Links to press coverage:

You can stand in solidarity with the families by signing the petition and contacting your elected officials: