Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Friday, Aug 22, 2025

New data shows more Americans are having trouble paying their rent

New data shows more Americans are having trouble paying their rent

Of more than 13 million units in the US that the report covered, 69% of renters paid their rent between April 1 and 5, according to the National Multifamily Housing Council. During the same period in April 2019, 82% of households paid their rent on time, the report said.

With nearly 10 million Americans filing for unemployment in March, April 1 was always going to be a difficult day for US renters.

Now we have an idea of just how difficult: Nearly a third of 13.4 million US renters, 31%, didn't pay their rent between April 1 and April 5. That's according to data from the National Multifamily Housing Council, a trade association for the apartment industry.

Of more than 13 million units in the US that the report covered, 69% of renters paid their rent between April 1 and 5. During the same period in April 2019, 82% of households paid their rent on time, the report said. And just last month, 81% of renters paid rent by March 5.

It's additional evidence of how the coronavirus pandemic is affecting the US job market, and as a result, Americans' financial health.

Putting the numbers into perspective

While the data is concerning, it should be put into context, said Priscilla Almodovar, CEO of Enterprise Community Partners, a national non-profit developing affordable housing.

There are 44 million renter households in the country, and the NMHC report only reflects data from 13.4 million rental units and does not include subsidized housing, a lifeline for many low-income people.

Almodovar said there were likely logistical challenges to people paying the rent on time in April. Many offices were closed and standard operating procedures for much of daily life was disrupted. The 5th of the month, often when a late fee is incurred and when the NMHC survey period ended, also fell on a Sunday.

We won't really have an accurate picture of what the impact of millions of people filing for unemployment will be until May, she said.
"People were working in March. April rent may have come from their savings," Almodovar said. "The rent check is probably the first thing they pay. Now they may be unemployed, and we don't know what resources will get to them in time for May."

Her organization is calling for direct rental assistance, in which struggling tenant's rents are paid to landlords by the government.

"It allows money to move up the ladder," said Flora Arabo, national senior director of state and local policy at Enterprise Community Partners. "In April, there is still time to get money flowing. What happens when eviction moratoriums are lifted? Now there is a critical window to get emergency assistance to those who need it."

The federal government's $2 trillion stimulus bill will pad some Americans' falls: Renters in federally subsidized affordable housing can receive aid, including a 120-day moratorium on evictions and late fees.

Evictions halted in some cities

But most rental properties are owned by private landlords and therefore aren't eligible, though some multifamily landlords with federally backed mortgages may receive a forbearance on their payments if they don't evict their tenants.

Ahead of the steep uptick in unemployment claims, at least half of states and dozens of cities temporarily halted evictions in March, but rent was still due. And while missing a payment may not immediately result in eviction, continuing to skip them would.

There are other avenues for aid, though. Solomon Greene, a senior fellow in housing policy at the Urban Institute, suggested that tenants alert their landlords to their inability to pay and seek out aid from non-profits, or use their stimulus check included in the $2 trillion bill to cover some of their expenses.

And in other cases, strangers are footing bills. A CNN viewer surprised a guest on Erin Burnett OutFront by paying her rent. The guest, like millions of other service industry workers, had lost her job.

Some landlords are offering discounts and payment plans to help renters.
Clay Grubb, CEO of Grubb Properties, a multifamily housing developer based in Charlotte, North Carolina, offered a 10% discount to renters who paid by April 1. Nearly 70% of his renters took advantage of the discount, saving them nearly $400,000 in rent altogether.

"We decided to provide a new program for the remaining 30% of the residents," said Grubb.

If they paid their April rent in a timely manner -- which could mean through a payment program -- they would get a 10% credit toward their May rent. As of April 8, Grubb collected April rents from 94% of his residents.

He also relaxed the requirements for tenants who want to terminate a lease - dropping a 30-day notification and two-month rent requirement to 15 days and one month's rent. So far, 22 tenants, less than 1%, took advantage of that.

As Grubb highlighted, there's an "importance of compassion when it comes to the relationship that landlords have with their residents and ways landlords can help in this crisis."

Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Trump Backs Putin’s Land-for-Peace Proposal Amid Kyiv’s Rejection
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
United States Sells Luxury Yacht Amadea, Valued at Approximately $325 Million, in First Sale of a Seized Russian Yacht Since the Invasion of Ukraine
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
Asia-Pacific dominates world’s busiest flight routes, with South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul corridor leading global rankings
Private Welsh island with 19th-century fort listed for sale at over £3 million
Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival
Australia to Recognize the State of Palestine at UN Assembly
The Collapse of the Programmer Dream: AI Experts Now the Real High-Earners
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Germany Seeks Taliban Deal to Deport Afghan Migrants
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
×