The COVID-19 pandemic has closed businesses across the country and thrown millions of people out of work. Many people who were already living precariously on the edge of financial ruin before the pandemic will now have trouble coming up with rent or mortgage payments for the month of May. Eviction and foreclosure freezes are not enough because people will still owe back rent and mortgage payments when the crisis is over. We need to cancel rent and home mortgages entirely for the duration of the crisis. We need a rent freeze.
We call for people across Wisconsin and throughout the country to hang a white sheet out their window to signal their support for a rent and mortgage freeze here in Wisconsin and throughout the US. Supporters can also write slogans on signs or sheets, such as “Cancel Rent” or “Cancel Mortgages.” Take a photo of your sheet or banner and tweet it with the hashtags #CancelRent, #CancelMortgages, #CancelRentWisconsin, or #CancelMortgagesWisconsin.
This action will be ongoing, but we are aiming to draw as much attention as possible to the need for a rent freeze on Friday, May 1 because that is when rent for the month of May comes due and also because May 1 is International Workers’ Day. We also encourage supporters to call their elected representatives and help spread this call on social media.
