New rent relief program aimed at people who lost jobs to COVID-19

SAN ANTONIO - A new emergency assistance plan could makes lives easier for people who can't pay their rent. Tenants who have lost their jobs or been laid off due to COVID-19 are eligible for the innovative program.

The San Antonio Apartment Association is partnering with the city to cover 100 percent of April rent for people who qualify for the city's risk mitigation fund.

"The system has been overloaded. We wanted to do something to help,' says Marc Ross, past president of the apartment association. "I am massively excited."

Ross has been working with the city for the past two weeks to find a way to help both tenants and landlords.

"We're trying to be caring and understanding, while also understanding we have a business to operate, Ross says.

What they came up with is a program that helps extend the mitigation funding effort.

People who qualify will get 75 percent of their April rent paid by the city. The remaining 25 percent will be forgiven by landlords.

"That makes their money stretch a whole lot further," Ross says. "Depending on how much funding comes in, it could be several million dollars of contributions by property owners to help their residents out."

That's great news to people like Andrew Ramos, who lost his job as a cook at the Iron Cactus two weeks ago. He wasn't aware of the program until we told him about it today.

"I had no idea. This is definitely something I'm going to look into because we really need the help," he says.

Ramos pays $880 a month to live in an efficiency apartment on Broadway with his fiancee. She also was laid off recently - from a service job at Landry's.

If they qualify for city assistance - and their landlord cooperates - the couple's entire April rent would be covered.

"A program like that would help a lot," Ramos says. "I think it’s beautiful. It’s a good thing that people are trying to help everybody out."

Most landlords are expected to agree to rent relief and waiving late fees. Ross says everyone he has talked to is willing to participate. That's precisely what Mayor Ron Nirenberg wants to hear.

"I won’t look too kindly on landlords who are threatening their tenants right now," he says, "because our first step is to make sure people aren’t forced out on the streets."

He lauded the apartment association for its contributions during this crisis.

"The apartment association has stepped up and helped us with what I think will be a creative opportunity," Nirenberg says.

Every $1 million dollars in assistance will help over 250 families. That's based on average monthly rent of $1,000.

"I think it's going to be well received," says Ross, the former president of the national apartment association. He predicts other cities around Texas and the nation could follow San Antonio's lead.

"Housing is probably the most important component to life stability," he says.

Still to be decided is any Bexar County participation in the rent relief program. Judge Nelson Wolff did issue an executive order on March 23rd suspending evictions and foreclosure proceedings for 30 days,

To apply for the city program, tenants should call 210-207-5910 or click here for assistance.

Follow Jim Lefko on Twitter: @jimlefko on Instagram: lefkoj or on Facebook: jimlefkotv

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News Release

San Antonio Apartment Industry Launches Emergency Rental Assistance Amid the Covid-19 Pandemic

Mayor Nirenberg Pledges Support, City Assistance

San Antonio, TX, April 2, 2020 - In response to needs of renters during the COVID-19 pandemic, the San Antonio Apartment Association (SAAA) has proposed an Emergency Rental Assistance Program. SAAA is urging its members and other housing providers to get involved and directly help their residents who are struggling to pay rent as a result of COVID-19 impacts and related community social distancing declarations.

“I applaud the Association’s efforts to work with residents and avoid “evictions,” said Mayor Ron Nirenberg. “We appreciate their help in urging housing providers to support their tenants seeking rental assistance from the City by covering a portion of the rental payment and waiving late fees. In times like these, we need the entire community to provide relief in helping us keep people in their homes.”

SAAA is encouraging its members to forgive 25% of their resident’s outstanding rent and waive any late fees during the crisis. The effort will also help leverage additional funding for the City’s Risk Mitigation Fund. Currently, the Risk Mitigation Fund covers 100% of rent and late fees. The encouragement by SAAA to discount outstanding rent and waive late fees will help the fund assist more residents. To qualify for funding through the Risk Mitigation Fund, residents must be at or below 100% of the Area Median Income, show proof of unemployment and the inability to pay their rent. Those able to document a direct impact driven by the COVID-19 pandemic, such as job loss or decreased hours or wages, could qualify. The City will work with the landlords of qualifying applicants on payment.

“We believe, with rental housing providers’ help, each million dollars of funding by the City, County and philanthropic organizations is expected to generate $250,000 in rent forgiveness, which, based on an average monthly rent of $1,000, would assist roughly 250 families in need,” said Teri Bilby, Executive Director of San Antonio Apartment Association. “We urge everyone to participate in this program because it’s the right thing to do.”

“This community is in great need of assistance. For everyone’s well-being, it is of the utmost importance that our elected officials and philanthropic organizations come together with property owners to help them keep residents safe and secure in their homes, Bilby continued.

At the onset of this pandemic, the San Antonio Apartment Association, the Texas Apartment Association, and the National Apartment Association immediately began working with elected officials to put our residents and employees at ease, by directing them to existing assistance and working to provide support directly. In addition to working with local leaders, SAAA is encouraging its members and all housing providers to engage in early and regular communication with their residents on the measures being taken to ensure they can remain safe and secure in their community.

“Many residents are expected to lose their income,” Bilby said. “We applaud the leaders in federal, state and local governments who are stepping up to provide rental assistance to residents and appreciate the relief and security it provides rental property owners and small business owners who are also at risk from the many negative consequences of this pandemic.”

For more information, click here.