Coronavirus Latest: Tips For Renters Struggling To Make Monthly Payments Amid COVID-19 Crisis

Eyewitness News spoke to Joan Belfus, of Community Legal Services, who offered tips and advice for those having financial issues during these hard times.

WELCOME BACK EVERYONE.JIM DONOVAN WORKING FROM HOMETHIS MORNING SOCIALDISTANCING.YESTERDAY WAS APRIL 1ST, FORMANY PEOPLE THAT MEANT THERENT WAS DUE AND IN THISUNCERTAIN TIME MANY OF THOSEFOLKS CANNOT PAY THAT RENT.JOINING ME RIGHT NOW IS JOANBELLVES FROM COMMUNITY LEGALSERVICES GOOD MORNING, JOAN.GOOD MORNING, JIM.SO YESTERDAY THE FIRST OFTHE MONTH, FOLKS HAVE BEENLAID OFF, MAYBE THEY HAVE LOSTHOURS ON PART-TIME JOBS ORSOMETHING.WHAT ARE YOU RECOMMENDING FORRENTERS IN THAT SITUATION.RENTERS SHOULD CONTACTTHEIR LEND TER TRY TO WORK OUTPAYMENT AGREEMENT.THEY HAVE SOME OF THEIR RENTOR LATE FEES WAVED BUT GETTHIS AGREEMENT IN WRITING.LETTER, E-MAIL, TEXT MESSAGEOR IF YOU DO MAKE AN AGREEMENTDO NOT COMMIT TO ANYTHING THATYOU CANNOT AFFORD.IF YOU ARE IN SUBSIDIZEDHOUSING CONTACT PHA ORPROPERTY MANAGER TO ASK TOHAVE YOUR RENT LOWERED.IN THE ABSENCE OF THEREACHING OUT TO A LANDLORD,AND THEY WOULD RATHER SAYMAYBE WOULD I RATHER JUST STAYBACK AND IN THE REACH OUT,RIGHT AWAY, AND MAYBE PARTIALPAYMENT.YOU SHOULDN'T DO.THAT YOU NEED TO GETEVERYTHING IN WRITING AND MAKESURE YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT BOTHSIDES EXPECT.EXACTLY THEY SHOULD CALLOUR TENANT HOT LINE, FOR THAT,FOR ADVISOR GUIDANCE.THERE IS A LIEUTENANT OFCONFUSION THOUGH BECAUSE, YOUKNOW, WE'RE IN PHILADELPHIA.BUT THEN YOU HAVE DIFFERENTRULES PERHAPS IN MONTGOMERYCOUNTY OR CAMDEN COUNTY, INNEW JERSEY.IS THAT ALSO CAUSING ALIEUTENANT OF CONFUSION.YES, I BELIEVE SO.EVERY MUNICIPALITY HASINDIVIDUAL LAW BUT CALL TENANTHOT LANE IF THEY ARE OUT OFOUR SERVICE AREA WE CAN CANASSIST YOU WITH THAT.MANY STATES ARE MAKEDIFFERENT REGULATIONS, ORTEMPORARY REGULATIONS RIGHTNOW AS FAR AS PROTECTINGPEOPLE FROM EVICTION ISN'TTHAT THE CASE.YES, YES WE ARE SEEING THATHAPPENING.WHAT SHOULD PEOPLE KNOWABOUT THAT.ARE THEY STRETCHING OUTDEADLINES, I BELIEVE EVICTIONSRIGHTS NOW.IN PHILADELPHIA THEY AREBASICALLY HOLD.YES, IN PENNSYLVANIA THEYARE CURRENTLY A MORATORIUM ON,EVICTIONS THROUGH APRIL 30TH NNEW JERSEY THEY HAVE EXTENDEDMORATORIUM ON EVICTIONSHEARINGS AND LOCK OUT THROUGHAPRIL 26TH AND 90 DAY.DELAWARE AND NEW AS OF EVOLVESITUATION WE EXPECT THESEDATES TO CHANGE.UM-HMM.AND AS FAR AS HOMEOWNERS ARECONCERN, SHOULD THEY REACH OUTTO THEIR BANKS IF THEY THINKTHEY WILL HAVE DIFFICULTYPAYING THEIR MORTGAGE.YES ANY HOME OWNEREXPERIENCING A LOSS OF INCOMEDUE TO THE ISSUE CONTACT THEIRMORTGAGE COMPANY IMMEDIATELYAND THEY SHOULD TAKE NET OFWHO THEY SPOKE TO AND WHEN.IN CASE IS THERE A DISPUTELATER ON.PLEASE, CONTINUE.I'M SORRY.DEPENDING ON THE TYPE OFMORTGAGE YOU HAVE, COMPANIESCAN OFFER FORBEARANCE ORWAIVER LATE FEES BUT AGAIN ITDEPEND ON THE TYPE OF MORTGAGELOAN YOU HAVE.AND FANNIE MAE AND FREDDIE MACWILL BE GRANTED FORECLOSURERELIEF WITH A THROUGH 60 DAYS.OKAY G TO KNOW YOU.JOAN, APPRECIATE YOU GETTINGUP AND JOINING THUS MORNING.JOAN FROM COMMUNITY LEGALSERVICES.YOU HAVE A GREAT DAY.THANK YOU, YOU TOO.