COVID-19 Policy Issues
The unique nature of the rental housing industry puts apartment operators and their employees on the front lines of responding to the COVID-19 pandemic in communities across the nation. Rental housing providers continue to address employee and resident concerns and do all they can to mitigate the impacts of the virus in their communities, even as many owners and operators continue to struggle. More must be done to provide relief to the rental housing industry, to help those who have been hardest hit by COVID-19.
Additional resources are available for NAA members and affiliates.
Timeline of NAA's Federal Advocacy During COVID-19
Hover over each bubble to learn more about NAA's federal advocacy efforts to protect the industry’s interests and obtain relief for housing providers affected by COVID-19. Green bubbles feature important events in NAA's advocacy, and orange bubbles highlight the number of messages sent to Congress in a given period of time.
March 2020
NAA's COVID-19 Advocacy
NAA aggressively advocates for the rental housing industry to ensure any conversations about federal COVID-19 relief include owners and operators, working with real estate leaders in DC to maximize the industry’s impact.
13,350 messages
The industry sends 13,350 messages to Congress. The rental housing industry needs COVID-19 relief!
CISA Guidance
After NAA and NMHC encourage CISA to update its guidance, CISA issues an advisory revising the definition of “Residential/Shelter Facilities and Services” to recognize the importance of leasing, performing maintenance and property management and housing construction. Many jurisdictions rely on CISA’s guidance in determining essential workers who may continue to travel and work during lockdowns.
NAA Resources
NAA begins to provide federal advocacy and compliance resources as well as information on state and local COVID-19-related housing mandates and programs on demand.
April 2020
Additional Relief Needed
Along with our coalition partners, NAA and NMHC urge Congress to pass additional COVID-19 relief and stimulus legislation, including help for America’s rental housing industry.
19,331 messages
The industry sends 19,331 messages to Congress. The industry needs additional relief!
$1 of Rent
NAA explains the breakdown of $1 of rent.
PPP for 501(c)(6)
Together with ASAE, NAA emphasizes 501(c)(6) organizations should be eligible for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to help mitigate the COVID-19’s harmful impact on the affiliate network and encourages members of Congress to sign a “dear colleague” letter showing their support.
SBA Guidance
Real estate organizations ask the SBA to issue guidance to remove uncertainty and confirm that multifamily firms qualify for the PPP.
CARES Act and Eviction
NAA advocates for ambiguous language in the CARES Act eviction moratorium to be fixed in the next federal COVID-19 bill. It is inconsistent with existing eviction laws, complicates compliance for housing providers, and interferes with efforts to help renters.
May 2020
Recovery Fund Coalition
Along with more than 100 organizations NAA joins America’s Recovery Fund Coalition, calling on Congress to create a relief fund for businesses to operate during this unprecedented crisis.
HEROES Act introduced
The House introduces the HEROES Act. NAA and NMHC educate members of Congress on the HEROES Act’s impact on the rental housing industry.
Learn more about NAA’s position on the HEROES Act.
House Approves
NAA continues to provide members with federal updates in real time as the House approves the HEROES Act. The Senate does not take up the package.
PPP & Multifamily
NAA and NMHC continue to advocate for multifamily inclusion in the PPP.
Rental Assistance
NAA reiterates the need for a multi-faceted approach to rental assistance.
Business Liability
NAA joins broad coalition to advocate for business liability protections.
Relief Advocacy
NAA advocates with Community Leaders of America for the use of CARES Act HUD Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program and Treasury Coronavirus Relief Fund dollars for rental assistance.
Stakeholder Engagement
NAA incorporates rental assistance advocacy into stakeholder engagement with the US Conference of Mayors, National League of Cities, National Conference of State Legislatures.
June 2020
CARES Education
NAA and NMHC, along with their real estate coalition partners, continue outreach to educate members of the House and Senate on how CARES Act requirements are affecting the rental housing industry and the need for additional relief.
NAA & DMO
NAA encourages Democratic Municipal Officials (DMO) to adopt a resolution and send a letter to Congress in support of rental assistance.
Eviction Moratorium
NAA and NMHC continue to oppose expansion of the federal eviction moratorium.
July 2020
Education on Requirements
NAA continues to update its members on new federal requirements in light of COVID-19; NAA and NMHC continue to educate federal agencies on related compliance challenges.
24,358 messages
The industry sends 24,358 messages to Congress. A federal eviction moratorium is not the answer. We need rental assistance!
More Coalition Advocacy
Real estate coalition continues to advocate for housing industry priorities and tells Congress a protracted eviction moratorium is not a sustainable, long-term solution; it would ruin the rental housing market.
SAFE TO WORK
NAA joins broad coalition of business groups in support of business liability protections in the SAFE TO WORK Act.
August 2020
Emergency Assistance
Real estate coalition urges President Trump to support emergency rental assistance, not an extension of the federal eviction moratorium.
Protect Housing Stability
Real estate coalition reiterates that Congress must protect the housing stability of millions of Americans.
Bloomberg Interview
Bob Pinnegar talks to Bloomberg about COVID-19’s impact on Class C housing. “Further erosion in those rent payments would endanger America’s affordable housing supply and put mom-and-pop landlords at the biggest risk of mortgage default.”
"Skinny" Relief Package
The Senate releases its “skinny” coronavirus relief package, the HEALS Act, which importantly includes an extension of enhanced unemployment benefits and does not include any extension of the CARES Act eviction moratorium.
September 2020
Impending Crisis
Real estate coalition keeps the pressure on Congress. Congress must act to avert a housing crisis.
CDC Halts Evictions
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), at the direction of the President, issues an order halting residential evictions until December 31, 2020, to prevent the further spread of COVID-19. Bob Pinnegar talks to Politico about the devastating impact on the rental housing industry.
Industry Guidance
NAA alerts the membership to the new federal requirements and jointly issues industry guidance with the Texas Apartment Association.
16,800 messages
The industry sends 16,800 messages to Congress about the CDC’s eviction moratorium. More work must be done to help rental housing providers who are struggling due to COVID-19.
REC Messages Congress
Real Estate Coalition sends a message to Congress. The eviction moratorium imposed by the Administration, together with Congress’ failure to act on emergency rental assistance, places the stability of the entire rental housing sector in danger.
White House Meeting
NAA Chairman Mike Holmes and member Travis Sheets, Vice President and General Counsel at BH Companies, lead a meeting with White House officials to emphasize the need for emergency rental assistance, discuss concerns around federal eviction requirements and urge them to issue supplemental guidance to make it easier for rental housing providers to operationalize these new rules.
NAA Sues CDC
NAA sues the CDC and seeks halt of the federal eviction moratorium.
Urging Congress to Act
Together with its coalition partners, NAA continue to urge action from Congress. In light of the CDC’s moratorium, the real estate industry must shoulder an unrecoverable financial burden that could lead to one of the greatest rental housing crises of our lifetime. We need rental assistance!
Federal Outreach
NAA and NMHC send outreach to the White House and federal agencies emphasizing concerns about federal eviction requirements.
October 2020
NAA Joins BCC
NAA joins the Business Continuity Coalition to work with policymakers and other stakeholders on an insurance program that protects jobs by ensuring business continuity from future economic losses from any pandemic and other emergencies necessitating widespread closures of the economy.
Further Federal Outreach
NAA and its real estate coalition partners continue to press Congress and President Trump on rental assistance and the damaging effects of the CDC eviction moratorium on the industry.
Ads to Congress
Real estate coalition runs ad directed at Congress. A nationwide federal eviction moratorium is a recipe for disaster.
CDC Hears Concerns
The CDC issues guidance; the apartment industry’s concerns were heard. NAA continues to support the industry with compliance resources.
November 2020
Industry Needs More Relief
NAA and its partners continue to urge support for more COVID-19 relief for the industry. We need Congress to fund a strong federal assistance program that protects the long-term stability of our nation’s housing markets. The CDC eviction moratorium was issued without rental assistance, setting up an untenable situation.
CARES Extension Request
With the December 30 deadline approaching, NAA and its partners urge Congress to authorize an extension for state and local grantees to use CARES Act funding. State and local governments use CARES Act money to support rental assistance programs. Without Congressional action, unused funds will revert back to the federal government.
December 2020
Vaccine Distribution
NAA continues to advocate to ensure that essential workers in the apartment industry are prioritized to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
FOX Business Interview
NAA President and CEO Bob Pinnegar spoke with FOX Business about the challenges facing the apartment industry amid COVID-19, including the broader economic devastation and damage caused by the ongoing pandemic.
$900 Billion Stimulus
President Trump signs the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, the $900 billion coronavirus stimulus and government spending bill into law. In a major victory for the industry, the bill includes $25 billion in dedicated emergency rental assistance. The compromise bill also includes a short-term extension of the CDC eviction moratorium through January 31, 2021. Learn more about provisions in the new law that affect the industry.
Incoming Lawmakers
NAA calls on the 117th Congress and incoming Biden administration to ensure quick and efficient distribution of the rental assistance funds to states and localities. We urge them to pursue additional financial relief instead of expanding harmful eviction moratoriums.
$70 Billion
More must be done. While the December stimulus package serves as a life preserver for the countless Americans, renters will owe close to $70 billion by January.
January 2021
NAA Gives Feedback
NAA and its real estate coalition partners provide feedback to Congress and the Administration as they begin to allocate and distribute rental assistance to the states. We outline important principles to consider when developing best practices for state and local programs.
REC Letter to Biden
Extending the federal eviction moratorium through September 30 would cripple rental housing providers. 19 percent of renters are currently unable to pay rent and, if that number remains steady, rent owed could amount to an additional $87.4 billion by the end of September. We need more rental assistance.
NAA's Advocacy Continues
NAA continues to work with its affiliate network to ensure federal rental assistance dollars are distributed quickly and efficiently to renters and housing providers who continue to struggle due to COVID-19.
Rental Assistance Advocacy
We urge the Treasury to allocate the funding as quickly as possible and to provide a framework for implementation that will maximize states and localities ability to get the much-needed assistance into the hands of the eligible recipients.
Rental Assistance FAQs
NAA and its real estate coalition partners urge the new Administration to provide further clarification on outstanding issues to ensure rental assistance programs are set up for success.
February 2021
Federal Eviction Order
As the Administration conducts an interagency review of the CDC’s Order and consider changes to the current elements, NAA and its coalition partners shared our thoughts and recommendations. Extending the CDC eviction order is the wrong policy solution to the housing crisis created by the pandemic, especially without a sustained and robust rental assistance program in place.
House Comm. Hearing
As the Committee holds a hearing entitled “More than a Shot in the Arm: The Need for Additional COVID-19 Stimulus,” NAA and its coalition partners urged support for efforts to ensure the continued financial viability and stability of the rental housing industry. The REC also reiterates these points in a letter to the full House and Senate.
March 2021
Lobby Days
In one of the largest showings of industry support to date, 552 members participated in 140 meetings during NAA's 2021 Lobby Day urging Congress to end the federal eviction moratorium and focus on relief efforts. We must ensure housing providers can continue to pay their bills while renters stay safely housed, and begin preparing for our post-pandemic future!
American Rescue Plan Act
On March 11, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) into law, thanks to the tens of thousands of you who participated in NAA’s calls to action and NAA’s Advocate Conference. You kept Congress’ attention on emergency rental assistance and other federal financial relief solutions to prevent evictions and ensure the continued viability of our industry.
Extended Moratorium
On March 29, the CDC extended its federal eviction moratorium order through June 30, 2021, and the CFPB and FTC announce stepped up enforcement efforts against housing providers. NAA continues its advocacy work with the Congress and the Administration and considers other paths forward, keeping all options on the table.