Month: August 2021

Education

Biden administration extends pause on student loan payments through January

August 12, 2021

As the U.S. continues to recover from COVID-19, the Biden administration announced on July 6 that federal student loan payments will remain suspended through January 2022.

The extension means borrowers will not have to make payments on federal student loans, and the interest rates will be set at 0%. Debt collection efforts will remain on pause until the suspension expires on Jan. 31, 2022.

This is an extension of a pause that began at the start of the pandemic, which was scheduled to expire next month. The Department of Education also said this will be the final extension. | From: AL DÍA (Read more.)

Housing

Courts ban lockout of tenants who apply for rental assistance, Helen Gym calls for more action

August 12, 2021

Four hours after City Councilmember Helen Gym held a press conference calling on the municipal courts to ban all lockouts and sent a letter with other members of City Council, the courts issued an order banning lockouts of tenants who have applied for rental assistance.

The councilmember says the courts also agreed to provide updated pro-lockout notice. Before the press conference, these lockouts always came as a surprise to tenants.

Since July, these lockouts in Philadelphia reached a rate of about 100 a week — all while Covid cases in the city rose by 700% this summer | From: AL DÍA (Read more.)

coronavirus

Tenants’ rights group offers assistance to Philly renters as eviction moratorium continues

August 12, 2021

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reversed course on Tuesday, extending the federal moratorium on evictions until Oct. 3. In a statement, CDC officials said the renewed effort, which comes days after the original eviction ban lapsed on July 31, will allow rent relief to flow and vaccination rates to rise as the new delta variant of COVID-19 spreads. But, despite the extended moratorium, thousands of Philadelphians tangled in landlord-tenant disputes face a possible loss of housing during the ongoing pandemic.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reversed course on Tuesday, extending the federal moratorium on evictions until Oct. 3. In a statement, CDC officials said the renewed effort, which comes days after the original eviction ban lapsed on July 31, will allow rent relief to flow and vaccination rates to rise as the new delta variant of COVID-19 spreads. But, despite the extended moratorium, thousands of Philadelphians tangled in landlord-tenant disputes face a possible loss of housing during the ongoing pandemic. | From: Metro Philadelphia (Read more.)

coronavirus

Advocates for paid family leave hold rally in Wilmington

August 12, 2021

The Paid Leave for All bus tour spent an hour in Wilmington before trekking to Washington for another stop on its two-week, 14-city venture that started Monday in Providence, Rhode Island. Dawn Huckelbridge, director of Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit Paid Leave for All, says it’s long past time for a federal program that would guarantee 12 weeks of paid leave of up to $4,000 a month. | From: WHYY (Read more.)

Community and Family

Just 32% of Philadelphia third graders read on grade level. Freedom Schools Literacy Academy is one solution.

August 11, 2021

A report this year revealed only 32% of Philadelphia third graders read on grade level, a number that angered members of Philadelphia’s Board of Education. The report showed showed that regardless of overall achievement at all schools, there were racial achievement gaps, with Black and Latino students scoring below whites and Asians. | From: Chalkbeat Philadelphia (Read more.)

Latest

Unity in the Community surprised 20 college students with scholarships

August 11, 2021

A Philadelphia-based group is giving out laptops and scholarships to students. The group Unity in the Community has formed an alliance with other groups and surprised 20 local college students as part of a back-to-school scholarship giveaway.

Tah Diyah Jackson was the first of those surprised at the Scoop Deville ice cream store with a check for $1,000 and the promise she will have a laptop when she returns to school at Lincoln University in the fall. She says the money is a big relief. | From: WHYY (Read more.)