Other findings include: • 83% of owners report the main way that Covid has affected renters in their properties is missed rent, which averages between $1,000-$2,499 per unit in arrears. • 100% of owners queried find that the number one renter concern during the pandemic has been the inability to see family and friends. This is followed by 66% who find that residents adapting to new social norms (masking and distancing) is the most challenging. Another 50% claim the residents at their properties have most difficulty coping with less than adequate internet services. • 43% of renters from the analogous NHPF survey asked the same question agreed with property owners, citing their number one concern as the inability to see friends/family, with nearly a third (31%) citing “difficulty adjusting to social norms” (masks, social distancing), and 26% finding the adjustment to remote learning for their children difficult. When asked about resources for helping to maintain stable housing, property owners believed the most help comes from equally from landlords, religious organizations/NGOs and social services, followed by family and friends. This finding stands in stark contrast to the renter survey, where assistance from family and friends ranked highest (60%), with 28% ranking assistance from landlord and management companies highest. To address this discrepancy between property owners and renters in how they maintain housing, Ken White, executive director & COO of Operation Pathways, NHPF’s resident services subsidiary says that a resident-centered and strengths- based coaching model would help resolve issues. “In cases involving rent assistance, coaches help residents identify and consider options within their extended families, churches, workplaces, and other affiliations, in addition to special charitable funds and government assistance that coaches suggest,” White added, “Residents and coaches together find solutions unique to each particular household and situation.” Finally, according to Richard F. Burns, President & CEO, The NHP Foundation, “Comparing what our industry peers say about coping with Covid-19 against what residents say gives a very complete picture of life in affordable housing one year into the pandemic and we see some lessons learned that can benefit both groups.”
SURVEY COMPENDIUM
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