Although President Trump announced that the partial U.S. government shutdown would temporarily end, its impact is still being felt by both renters and landlords.
Trump’s announcement Friday came on the 35th day of the government closure, which has left 800,000 federal employees without a paycheck, and many having a difficult time paying rent.
The president said the government would reopen for three weeks while negotiations for border security continue.
“I will make sure that all employees receive their back pay very quickly or as soon as possible,” he said, as reported by the New York Times. “It will happen fast.”
As federal workers await their paychecks, CAA continues to urge all rental housing providers to work with their tenants to find an amicable solution to unpaid rent, which should be the case whenever tenants face challenging circumstances.
If negotiations remain stalled in Washington, D.C., the government is set to close again by Feb. 15, once again leaving federal employees struggling to pay their bills.
Dollars for Section 8 housing choice vouchers and other federal housing programs also could be in jeopardy once again.
Here’s some information that may help property owners working with tenants’ whose rent money is tied up by the federal shutdown:
— The U.S. Office of Personnel Management tweeted out sample letters for federal employees to send to their creditors, mortgage companies and landlords. The letters suggest that employees ask to pay a reduced amount or create a payment plan in the coming months because they are out of work and not getting paid during the shutdown.
— Many banks are offering interest free loans to federal employees and waiving other fees to help them pay their financial obligations during the shutdown.