With local officials bracing for a huge wave of new eviction cases now that a federal moratorium has expired, roughly one in eight renters in Tulsa have fallen behind on payments during the COVID-19 epidemic, according to a recent survey.
Tulsa residents will need more than $7 million in rental assistance by the end of September to avoid an unprecedented eviction crisis, according to the survey of local landlords conducted by Housing Solutions Tulsa, an agency that works to prevent homelessness.
In a sample that represented more than 8,200 rental properties, more than 1,000 households, or about 13%, had fallen behind on rent.
Meanwhile Monday, Tulsa County commissioners approved an initial $3 million for a rental assistance program that will begin in late August and offer direct assistance to about 1,000 households per month to help catch up on overdue rents. The funding is from the federal CARES Act, which is being distributed locally.
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A federal moratorium had prevented evictions from being filed in court in recent months on rental properties with government-backed mortgages. But that moratorium expired over the weekend, allowing landlords to give a 30-day notice to collect on overdue payments. After that, Tulsa could see a giant surge in eviction filings, officials said.
“It will take a coordinated, shared effort to prevent this potential eviction crisis,” said the Rev. Jeff Jaynes, executive director of Restore Hope Ministries, a charity that helps people who face eviction.
Agencies need to work with both landlords and tenants to ensure that property owners get the money owed to them while renters can also stay in their homes, Jaynes said.
“Leveraging mediation and ensuring landlords and tenants can access relief funds is critical to keeping Tulsans safe and our economy stable,” he said.
Several groups are working together to make mediation more widely available. The Early Settlement Mediation Program, the Oklahoma Bar Association, the Oklahoma Access to Justice Foundation and COVID-19 task forces in Oklahoma City and Tulsa are recruiting and training additional mediators, officials said.
“Oklahoma’s lawyers display the finest of the Oklahoma Standard in serving their neighbors and communities every day,” said Oklahoma Bar Association Executive Director John Morris Williams. “We are confident they will step up to the challenges facing our state and assist with these new efforts in the coming months.”
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Let's Talk Town Hall discusses the eviction crisis.
Featured gallery: COVID-19 basics everyone needs to know as pandemic continues
COVID-19 basics everyone needs to know as the pandemic continues
How it spreads, who's at risk
Studies have shown many infected people show no symptoms or have symptoms so mild they may go undetected; those people can still transmit COVID-19 to About 20% of patients diagnosed with COVID-19 require hospitalization.
The disease can be fatal, especially for vulnerable populations: those older than 65, living in a nursing home or long-term care facility, and anyone with underlying health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, lung disease or obesity.
Science of virus spread
COVID-19 is spread mainly from person to person via respiratory droplets produced by an infected person. Spread is most likely when people are in close contact, within about 6 feet. A person might also be infected with COVID-19 after touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their face. According to the CDC, evidence suggests the novel coronavirus may remain viable for hours to days on surfaces, though that form of transmission is said to be minor.
Transmission between people more than 6 feet from one another may occur in poorly ventilated and enclosed spaces, the CDC says, especially where activities cause heavier breathing, such as singing or exercising.
The infectious period for patients can begin up to 48 hours before symptom onset.
List of symptoms
The CDC recently expanded its list of possible symptoms of COVID-19. The symptoms can appear from two days to two weeks after exposure.
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
This list does not include all possible symptoms and will continue to be updated by the CDC. One symptom not included is "purple toes," which someone may experience with no other symptoms, sometimes several weeks after the acute phase of an infection is over. The coloration and pain is caused by a lack of blood flow to the toes caused by excessive blood clotting, a late-stage concern with COVID-19 infections.
Kinds of testing
Those getting tested may experience different kinds of swabs. The viral test, known as PCR, involves a deep nasal swab that can be painful.
Other tests that require less-invasive swabs may produce results faster, but with less accuracy. These should not be used diagnostically.
It is not yet known whether COVID-19 antibodies can protect someone being infected again or how long protection might last.
The 'serious seven'
The "serious seven" refer to close contact environments where residents should take extra precautions if they choose to attend. The seven are gyms, weddings, house gatherings, bars, funerals, faith-based activities and other small events, according to Tulsa Health Department Director Bruce Dart.
Treatments being investigated
The FDA has allowed for antiviral drug remdesivir, previously tested on humans with Ebola, to treat more severe cases of COVID-19 in adults and children. Safety and effectiveness aside, preliminary studies have shown it can shorten recovery time for some patients.
After previously approving an emergency use authorization, the FDA as of July 1 cautions against use of hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine for COVID-19 outside of the hospital setting or a clinical trial. A review of safety issues includes reports of serious heart rhythm problems and other safety issues, including blood and lymph system disorders, kidney injuries, and liver problems and failure.
Convalescent serum therapy
Some patients are receiving convalescent serum, meaning the antibodies made by people who have recovered after a COVID-19 infection. Antibody-rich blood plasma is being given to severely or critically ill COVID-19 patients, including Ascension St. John, Saint Francis Health System, OSU Center for Health Sciences and Hillcrest HealthCare System in Tulsa.
From June to July, requests for convalescent plasma from the Oklahoma Blood Institute multiplied seven-fold.
Recovery, as defined by CDC
To be considered recovered (without a test), these three things must happen, the CDC advises:
- No fever for at least 72 hours (three full days of normal temperature without the use of medicine)
- Other symptoms improved (no more cough, etc.)
- At least 10 days since symptoms first appeared
Michael Overall 918-581-8383
michael.overall
@tulsaworld.com
Twitter: @MichaelOverall2
