SAN ANTONIO – Many Texans have been left with questions about the challenges of paying rent due to hardships caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
The Texas Supreme Court recently stayed evictions for non-payment of rent until after April 19 due to a spike in unemployment rates related to the pandemic.
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Governor Greg Abbott called the court ruling “a lifeline” for struggling Texans. “Temporarily suspending residential eviction proceedings will provide Texans whose personal income has been affected by the spread of this virus with greater flexibility to meet their housing needs and provide for their families," he said.
For those who have housing questions about paying rent and how eviction policies work, the Texas Apartment Association, a nonprofit, statewide trade group, is working with tenants who might be affected and offering renters help, including:
- guidance on rules for rent payment
- state eviction policies
- answers to most common tenant questions about the pandemic and Stay Home orders
- tips for renters on how to work effectively with apartment property managers
San Antonio Housing Authority to suspend non-criminal evictions
According to a news release, the TAA has spokespeople available to help fact-check renters resources in the following cities:
- Austin
- San Antonio
- Dallas
- Houston
- El Paso
- Rio Grande Valley
“If you are in another market, contact us and we will work to find you someone local to assist you with your story or provide a TAA spokesperson to address the issues,” the news release states.
Renters can reach the TAA through the association’s website here.
The TAA can also help connect consumers who need to speak with someone regarding multi-family housing business or public policy topics.
What should you do if your job was affected by the pandemic? Click here.
COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the new virus, stands for coronavirus disease 2019. The disease first appeared in late 2019 in Wuhan, China, but spread around the world in early 2020, causing the World Health Organization to declare a pandemic in March.
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