‘Mad or nah?’: Philly residents react to the expiration of pandemic-related benefits

P.O.C. hit the streets of Philadelphia to see how residents were reacting to the news that federal unemployment benefits expired a week after the eviction moratorium.

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United States Postal Service carrier Henrietta Dixon walks her route to deliver mail in Philadelphia, Wednesday, May 6, 2020. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

United States Postal Service carrier Henrietta Dixon walks her route to deliver mail in Philadelphia, Wednesday, May 6, 2020. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Roughly a week after the Supreme Court decided to end the eviction moratorium, federal unemployment benefits expired, too. Nationwide reactions to the news have been split, with some saying that pandemic-related benefits had gone on long enough — at the expense of landlords and the market, the latter implying that workers were making more in unemployment and had no incentive to work — while other have said that aid should last the length of the pandemic.

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But there’s also no telling how long COVID-19 will be a disruptive factor in American life.

P.O.C., a partner in WHYY’s News and Information Community Exchange, hit the streets of Philadelphia this week to garner local reaction to the news.

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