APAH Extends Eviction Moratorium and Waives Late Fees as Pandemic Impact Continues

APAH Extends Eviction Moratorium and Waives Late Fees as Pandemic Impact Continues

 Arlington, VA (NOVEMBER 18, 2020) – Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing (APAH) announced today that it has voluntarily extended its eviction moratorium, waived late fees, and frozen rent rates for all residents impacted by COVID-19 through December 31, 2021.  The moratorium applies to the 4,000+ residents living in APAH’s committed affordable rental apartments who have experienced monetary hardships.

“Keeping our residents safe and stable in their housing, particularly at this difficult time, is APAH’s top priority,” said Nina Janopaul, the organization’s President and CEO. “This extension allows families to remain safe in their homes. It also gives us more time to work with households to help them access rental assistance.”

Hundreds of APAH residents, many working in service industries, lost jobs, or income as a result of the pandemic. Since the start of the pandemic, nearly 700 households have had at least a month when they were unable to pay their rent and nearly one in four of our 1,800 households are many months in arrears.  “What is really heartbreaking,” said Caroline Jones, APAH’s Resident Services Director, “is that 80% of the households receiving rental assistance have never needed it before.  These are working families who had everything pulled out from under them overnight.”

APAH’s Resident Services Team is working feverishly to help residents access rental assistance.  Virginia’s Rent and Mortgage Relief Program (RMRP) can provide tenants with rent and utility support going back to the start of the pandemic.  However, $50 million of the $62 million program is funded by the federal CARES Act, and those funds must be used by December 31, 2020. APAH has until November 30th to work with every eligible resident and help them through the extensive application process.  “We are so grateful for RMRP as well as the generous rental assistance provided by Arlington County, and for the gifts of so many donors to our own Resident Emergency Fund,” noted Ms. Janopaul.  “Our challenge now is making sure we reach every household we can.”

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About APAH: APAH’s mission is to develop, preserve, and own quality, affordable places to live; to promote stability and opportunity for our residents; and to advocate with the people and communities we serve. Founded in 1989, APAH now helps more than 1,800 households live in stable, secure and affordable rental homes. APAH is working to bring more than 1,000 additional affordable apartments to the DC metro area over the next 5 years. APAH’s Columbia Hills Apartments, received the 2019 ULI Washington Trends Award for Excellence in Affordable Housing. Its newest project, Gilliam Place opened in 2019. APAH was recently named one of the nation’s Top 50 Affordable Housing Developers by Affordable Housing Finance magazine.

Download a PDF of the release here.

Updated February 9 to reflect an extension of the moratorium from March 31 to June 30, 2021.
Updated July 15 to reflect another extension of the moratorium through December 31, 2021.