HOUSTON — There's no doubt that COVID-19 has taken a toll on everyone in the entire world, but for some, the lingering effects of the pandemic just won't let up.
In the past few weeks, Houston tenants unable to pay rent due to the pandemic have been evicted from their apartments in numbers the city has not seen in recent history.
However, those evictions stopped Wednesday evening with the eviction moratorium issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
For some residents, that was the news they were waiting to hear. but for others, the news came a little too late.
CNN aired a story Wednesday night showing deputies serving evictions in Harris County. The images of unemployed tenants and families forced to leave their units amid a heat advisory, during the pandemic, struck a chord with those who saw it, including Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson.
The NFL star tweeted on Thursday that he would like to be connected with the tenants in the story. He said he wants to help them get back on their feet.
Helping families in a time of need is personal for the Texans quarterback.
When he was 11 years old, Watson and his family got a home from Habitat for Humanity after he brought home a flyer.
Watson isn't the only person lending out a helping hand to those removed from their homes amid the pandemic.
The Harris County Precinct 1 Office set up a GoFundMe account to help raise money for tenants who owe back rent.
“My goal is to focus on those elderly first,” Precinct 1 Constable Allen Rosen said. “Because those are the most vulnerable in the pandemic. And then focus on families with small children. I can’t imagine having a family with small children and being put out of your home. I just can’t imagine that.”