New Yorkers rally to demand rent cancellation due to coronavirus pandemic closing businesses

New Yorkers rallied to demand rent cancellation due to the coronavirus pandemic forcing businesses their close.

News 12 Staff

Apr 25, 2020, 1:41 PM

Updated 1,623 days ago

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New Yorkers rallied Saturday to demand rent cancellation due to the coronavirus pandemic forcing businesses their close.
Protesters lined up on the corner of the Macombs Dam Bridge here in Harlem chanting “if we can’t work, we can’t pay.”
Mayor Bill de Blasio and Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz are calling for a rent freeze as residents in New York City grapple with the economic strain the pandemic is causing in their households.
Tenant advocates are asking for a full cancellation of all rents nationwide, as well as the cancellation of mortgages for small businesses and homeowners.
They say that the three-month eviction moratorium is not enough and are asking for more to be done. De Blasio is also calling on the state to take action.
In April, over 26 million people filed for unemployment across the U.S., and one-third of tenants were unable to pay their rent.
Protesters wore masks and practiced social distancing. They say that it is impossible to stay at home to flatten the curve - if they don't have a home.
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