Millions of Americans are struggling to pay their bills as a result of the global coronavirus pandemic. According to a report from the National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC), roughly one-third of Americans did not make their monthly rent payment in April.

They collected data from more than 13 million rental units across the country and found that 69% of tenants paid their rent on time. In March, 81% of renters made their payment on time.

“The COVID-19 outbreak has resulted in significant health and financial challenges for apartment residents and multifamily owners, operators, and employees in communities across the country,” said Doug Bibby, President of NMHC.

The federal government is trying to help people having issues paying their rent. People living in federally subsidized affordable housing are eligible to receive aid and were granted a 120-day moratorium on evictions and late fees.

A few states and cities across the country have placed local moratoriums on evictions for missed rent during the pandemic.

Experts have cautioned that renters are still responsible for missed payments and could find themselves owing more money and facing eviction in the future. They said that anybody who has concerns about being unable to pay their rent should speak with their landlords.

“Landlords need to know that there’s a problem. Tenants need to contact their landlord to talk about their issues,” David Howard, executive director of the National Rental Home Council, a Washington, D.C.-based advocacy group, said according to Yahoo! Finance.

To keep up to date on the latest news about the coronavirus and to understand what you need to stay safe and healthy, check out the Coronavirus: Fact vs. Fiction podcast from CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta.

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