The COVID-19 pandemic has hit home hard for many Americans, calling the most fundamental human needs into question. A rush on supermarkets and drug stores has left shelves bare of essentials as the entire country shelters in place, praying for hurricane COVID to pass quickly, and hoping they still have a roof over their heads when it does. The economy has been thrown out of balance and seems to be teetering on the edge, and those who were once only hanging on by a thread are now in freefall.
Claims for unemployment have gone through the roof even as the government offers forgivable loans to companies who use them to keep their employees on payroll. The government has even issued a temporary moratorium on evictions through the end of April, a move that is welcomed by many, but is also being criticized for not going far enough to protect the Americans who are most at risk. Some are calling for a halt to evictions for an undefined duration through the end of the crisis, a move that would be welcome by those who are most at risk, but one that would leave landlords and owners, who in turn have their own bills to pay, in a precarious position.
Programs are quickly being put into place to steer our massive economy away from the iceberg of a potential eviction and foreclosure crisis. The government has promised stimulus checks, but there is no guarantee that they will be used to pay rent. The CARES act gives protection to tenants in federally backed housing until July 25th, 2020 and is also offering tenant based rental assistance, for which you need to apply – a fact that not all renters are aware of.
Landlords around the country are scrambling to bring their tenants information on government assistance programs, doing their best to head off the looming crisis before it can grow roots. The best repository for information is directly through the government at https://www.hud.gov/coronavirus. There are also city and state level programs available depending on your location.
Things are changing so quickly it feels as though you could blink and open your eyes on a different world, and not everyone has the inclination or wherewithal to scour the internet for accurate information. For renters and landlords in the Colorado who are in need of relief, the best thing to do is
to go to http://www.211Colorado.org. 211 Colorado is a confidential, multi-lingual public service that connects people to vital resources across the state. They can also be reached by dialing 211 on your phone.
They say that the truth is stranger than fiction, and right now things are feeling pretty strange. Sun Tzu’s Dow of War has no entry for what to do when your enemy is simultaneously invisible and omnipresent. Instead we must take the high ground, stay alert, and be ready to pivot in response to whatever events
precipitate from our current situation. We here at Sellstate Alliance Realty and Property Management are staying well ahead of the curve on Coronavirus and are happy to offer our assistance. If you have questions or need our expertise, do not hesitate to reach out to us.