As Covid-19 spreads quickly around the globe, seeing its effects in different countries can feel like a glimpse into the future.
When we hear of ventilator shortages across the ocean, we count our own. If new symptoms arise, we add them to our list of telltale indications. And when ‘Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj’ airs a show titled ‘What Happens If You Can’t Pay Rent’ (2020), many people can agree that the thought has crossed their minds.
For those of you unfamiliar with the show, Minhaj puts a comedic, often incredulous spin on the global news. If that sounds kind of like ‘The Daily Show’ (he’s a former correspondent), that’s because it sort of is, except Minhaj has a world view, single focus and discusses topics like why we can’t retire, the ugly truth of fast fashion, feminist movements in China, hip-hop and streaming, and the 2019 India general election. Minhaj himself has joked about his show playing like a “woke TED Talk”.
Hosting his first Netflix instalment since Covid-19 shut down production, Minhaj returns wearing a mask and without the holodeck.
The quarantine edition is quick with some facts gleaned from local news reports.
About 33,5 million Americans have filed for unemployment since the health crisis began, millions of people are struggling to afford basic necessities, and their biggest financial stress is rent.
“People aren’t worried about 18 months. They’re worried about this month. Because this month is when rent is due,” says Minhaj, referring to the projected amount of time it will take for a vaccine to be safely produced.
“Right now, renters are far more vulnerable than homeowners.”
Though the show deals primarily with the American rental market and the resources and recourse those who can’t afford to pay rent can use to stave off eviction, renters all over the globe can relate.
As more and more people get laid off, have their salary reduced or can no longer generate income due to new Covid-19 regulations, what worries people most after the ability to purchase food is the threat of being tossed out on the street.
While some landlords in the USA have been understanding and either written off or reduced rent, others have shown how ugly things may get. In New Mexico a landlord posted a list of homeless shelters on tenants’ doors, and in Hawaii some landlords have attempted to offer rent relief in exchange for sex.
Though viewers may not live in the USA, Minhaj prompts and answers some questions renters would do well to consider. What rights do you and don’t you have as a tenant? Should you ask your landlord for a rent reduction during Covid-19? Where will you live if you are evicted? Does your city have decent homeless shelters?
According to ‘Patriot Act’ even large American corporations like Urban Outfitters, H&M, Subway, Nordstrom, Staples and The Cheesecake Factory have said they will not be paying full rent during Covid-19.
Minhaj calls the tidal wave of evictions after Covid-19 “the crisis after the crisis”, but warns that simply not paying rent is not the easy answer either. In the USA, landlords use part of the rent to pay property taxes, and these taxes help pay for essential services like firefighters, utility workers and teachers.
“Economic dominoes,” says Minhaj of the way in which pulling rent affects other sectors. More than offer concrete solutions, ‘What Happens If You Can’t Pay Rent’ links you to anti-eviction resources, illustrates how housing court is stacked against renters and introduces you to the tenant blacklist.
As with all things Covid-19 there is no foolproof solution. The current pandemic is a crisis spawning ever more disasters, and the looming housing crisis is just one of them.
‘Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj’ is now streaming on Netflix.
– martha@namibian.com.na; Martha Mukaiwa on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram; marthamukaiwa.com
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