NAHRO Releases Survey of Members’ Operations During COVID-19

Rent collection is down, interim recertifications continue to rise

(Washington, D.C. – June 8) In May, the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials surveyed its housing agency members to assess the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on their housing operations.

For respondents’ public housing units, the average collection rate dropped from 96.2 percent in March to 94.45 percent in April, and further decreased to 90.51 percent in May.

Rent collection for family units showed the largest percentage decrease, dropping from 95.37 percent in March to 86.80 percent in May.

Average interim recertifications, which occur when a resident reports a change in their income, increased from 32.09 in March to 45.66 in April. The survey results also suggest that interim recertifications continued to increase in May as well.

In addition, survey respondents provided examples of how they were working to keep their staff and residents safe, citing new social distancing protocols, reworked office spaces, and increased reliance on the internet for transactions and communication with their clients. They also reported worrying about the additional expenses associated with COVID-19, the many encumbrances on the funding provided by the CARES Act, and uncertainty regarding future funding.

For more information or to schedule an interview, please contact Sylvia Gimenez at sgimenez@nahro.org.

About NAHRO

NAHRO, established in 1933, is a membership organization of almost 20,000 housing and community development agencies and professionals throughout the United States whose mission is to create affordable housing and safe, viable communities that enhance the quality of life for all Americans, especially those of low- and moderate-income. NAHRO’s membership administers more than 3 million housing units for 7.6 million people.