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Coronavirus Resources

April 1, 2020
AANC News , NAA News ,

UPDATES/RESOURCES NAA'S GUIDANCE AANC COVID-19 Response Informative Webinars

 

We will continue to update this page as information becomes available. Please check back frequently for new updates.

Please note, it is important to consult with your employer about specific prevention, containment,
and operational protocols. AANC is not a governing authority and no information provided should
be misconstrued as legal or operational advice.

Governor Cooper's Executive Order 124

Governor Roy Cooper announced another measure to help families impacted COVID -19 by prohibiting utilities from disconnecting people who are unable to pay during this pandemic. Executive Order 124 applies to electric, gas, water and wastewater services for the next 60 days. 

Additionally, section three addresses the housing industry.

  1. There should be no new eviction proceedings until the Chief Justice’s Order expires on April 17.
  2. No new rental bonds are due during this time.
  3. The Clerks of Superior Court may issue Writs of Possession prior to the expiration of the Chief Justice’s Order, but are strongly encouraged not to.
  4. Property Owners are strongly encouraged to work with tenants to implement payment plans and avoid evictions.
  5. Private lenders are strongly encouraged to provide loan flexibility to avoid eviction of tenants.

Its important to remember a few things during the rent collection period.

  • This is a very difficult time for everyone, with the recommendation of the Governor, if payment plans have not been apart of your COVID-19 recovery plan, seriously considered it.
  • The court system will still except new cases of evictions, however, they will not be addressed until April 17.t.
  • Check with the Clerk of Courts in your district to see what how they plan to handle Writ of possessions until regular courts resume.

If you have any questions about the last Executive Order, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Janae Moore, AANC Director of Government Affairs, at janae@aanconline.org.

READ EXECUTIVE ORDER 124

UPDATES/RESOURCES

North Carolina Coronavirus Hotline: 866-462-3821 - or you can call 211. 
Text information/updates are also available. To sign up, text COVIDNC to 898211.

NC EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PROCESS

GCAA's Coronavirus Operations Survey Results

BBB TIPS ON COVID-19

NEWS & OBSERVER: ALL CORONAVIRUS-RELATED STORIES

NCDHHS: COVID-19 INFORMATION

NCDHHS: COVID-19 COUNTY MAP

PDF FAQ - CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK: WHAT REAL ESTATE MANAGERS NEED TO KNOW

IREM® PANDEMIC GUIDE FOR REAL ESTATE MANAGERS

TRAVEL GUIDANCE FROM RDU AIRPORT

 

Info to share with your residents:

Current Stay at Home Ordinances in NC

CDC RECOMMENDATIONS FOR RESIDENTS

CDC - NEED TO KNOW PDF

CORONAVIRUS IN YOUR APARTMENT COMMUNITY: HOW TO STAY SAFE

Updated 4/2/20

NAA's GUIDANCE

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is closely monitoring the outbreak of a novel (meaning new) coronavirus (COVID-19), which was first detected in Wuhan City, China, and has since spread to 167 additional countries. With 6,496 cases of coronavirus confirmed in the United States (through March 18, 2020), the National Apartment Association (NAA) believes it prudent for its members and affiliates to be prepared for incidents involving COVID-19 should they occur.

NAA understands that affiliates, members and residents may have concerns about how apartment communities should address the virus and, in an effort to offer preliminary guidance and information to assist with preparations, we have compiled the following material from official sources.

It is important to recognize that NAA, its affiliates and individual members are not health care professionals. The CDC and other qualified health officials should continue to be the primary source of current information and guidance. NAA is offering general, precautionary guidance from officials, and also adding some common-sense guidelines for our industry in the interest of promoting a proper amount of caution at this time.

Because this is a rapidly evolving situation, NAA will monitor developments and will continue efforts to secure guidance specific to the operation of rental housing from health officials. Additionally, NAA will update our website  with new information as it becomes available.

Latest News

NAA Urges Rent Payments, Additional Relief Measures Amid COVID-19
Many residents will be unable to make their rent payments - through no fault of their own - which, in turn, will have devastating implications for apartment owners and operators.. To minimize the damage, NAA is urging those of our nation's 40 million renters who've been financially unaffected by COVID-19 to make their rent payments in full and on time. Read the full statement.

Federal Government Updates Guidance on Essential Workers During COVID-19
On March 28, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) issued an "Advisory Memorandum on Identification of Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers During COVID-19 Response." The memorandum contains an updated "Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce" advisory list that identifies workers who perform operations and services essential to protecting state and local communities and ensuring continuity in critical functions. On page 15, the guidance calls out “Residential/Shelter Facilities and Services,” specifically identifying as essential:

  • Workers responsible for the leasing of residential properties to provide individuals and families with ready access to available housing.
  • Workers responsible for handling property management, maintenance, and related service calls who can coordinate the response to emergency “at-home” situations requiring immediate attention, as well as facilitate the reception of deliveries, mail, and other necessary services.
  • Workers performing housing construction related activities to ensure additional units can be made available to combat the nation’s existing housing supply shortage.
  • Workers supporting the construction of housing, including those supporting government functions related to the building and development process, such as inspections, permitting and plan review services that can be modified to protect the public health, but fundamentally should continue and serve the construction of housing (e.g., allow qualified private third-party inspections in case of government shutdown).

The updated memorandum notes that the list is purely advisory and not a federal directive or standard. It also emphasizes that the list is not exclusive and that individual jurisdictions should add or subtract essential workforce categories based on their own requirements. To that end, NAA has urged its affiliates to reach out to their state and local governments to ensure that the apartment industry is declared essential during any shelter-in-place declarations. To date, many affiliates have been succesful in this advocacy and our hope is that this updated guidance from CISA will aid in those efforts.

Statement from the National Apartment Association Concerning COVID-19 and Rent
The following is a statement from National Apartment Association (NAA) President and CEO Robert Pinnegar, CAE released on March 23:
The National Apartment Association and its more than 150 state and local affiliates, encompassing over 82,000 members and representing more than 10 million apartment homes, encourage all residents who are in financial distress to proactively reach out to work with their community managers prior to April 1. Many of our rental housing professionals already have individual plans in place to work with their residents in this unprecedented crisis. There is no “one approach fits all.” The best strategy, and NAA’s recommendation, is for owners, managers and residents to partner together to find the optimal solution. Providing a secure home for all of our residents is our primary goal.

Fannie Mae Provides Assistance to Help Renters Impacted by COVID-19 Stay in Their Apartments
In a press release issued March 24, Fannie Mae, in coordination with the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), is allowing lenders to grant forbearance to borrowers in properties financed by Fannie Mae for up to three months if the borrower is experiencing hardship due to the impact of the COVID-19 national emergency. As part of the forbearance plan, borrowers must agree to suspend evictions of tenants who are facing financial hardship due to the current crisis. Fannie Mae anticipates that this will provide relief to renters across more than 27,000 properties.

NAA Releases Guidance Concerning Shelter-in-Place Orders
Guidance from the National Apartment Association released on March 20.

Office of Public and Indian Housing (PIH) Suspends REAC Inspections
HUD's PIH released a memo addressing the suspension of REAC Inspections and other programmatic information.

Small Business Administration Will Provide Disaster Assistance Loans
SBA's Economic Injury Disaster Loans offer up to $2 million in assistance for a small business. These loans can provide vital economic support to small businesses to help overcome the temporary loss of revenue they are experiencing. Further resources can be found here and on SBA's websites: www.SBA.gov/coronavirus and www.SBA.gov/disaster.

DOL Announces New Guidance on Unemployment Insurance Flexibilities
DOL announced new guidance outlining flexibilities that states have in administering their unemployment insurance (UI) programs to assist Americans affected by the COVID-19 outbreak.

Department of Energy Coronavirus Resources
DOE is coordinating closely with the White House and its interagency partners in the unified response to the Coronavirus. DOE leadership will be issuing further guidance as the situation evolves.

Webinars/Operational Best Practices

Micro-Webinars

  • Maintaining Healthy Relationships During Stressful Times - An in-depth presentation of how to keep relationships healthy amid the stresses of COVID-19.  Presented by Rommel Anacan, President of The Relationship Difference. Released April 1, 2020.
  • Best Practices For Property Managers: Rent Collection, Late Fees, Filings, Payment Plans - NAA provides guidance on a host of pressing issues concerning rent collection in the face of COVID-19. Guidance is presented by William P. Cannon III, Principal, Offit Kurman Attorneys at Law. Released 3/31/2020
  • New COVID-19 Federal Laws - NAA offers an examination of new federal legislation aimed at addressing the spread of COVID-19. Guidance is presented by Greg Brown, NAA Senior Vice President of Government Affairs. Released 3/30/2020
  • The Importance of Continued Training - A closer examination of why continuing training is important during COVID-19. Guidance is presented by Joy Zalaznick, Director of Training and Development for Kettler. Released 3/30/2020.
  • Shelter in Place: Restrictions on Business Operations - NAA offers guidance related to shelter-in-place orders and what they mean for business operations. Guidance is presented by Nicole Upano, NAA Director of Public Policy. Released 3/26/2020
  • Guidance for Suppliers Amid COVID-19 - NAA provides insight for rental housing industry suppliers amid COVID-19. Guidance is presented by Kirk Downey, Chairman of the NAA National Suppliers Council (NSC) and COO of Liberty Rent. Released 3/25/2020
  • My Resident Tested Positive for COVID-19, Now What? - NAA offers operational insight for how to handle a resident testing positive for COVID-19 . Guidance is presented by Ayiesha Beverly, NAA Senior Staff Attorney, National Lease Program. Released 3/24/2020
  • How to Respond to Media - NAA offers guidance for crisis communications and handling media inquiries during the spread of COVID-19. Guidance is presented by Todd Usher, NAA Manager of Public Relations. Released 3/23/2020
  • How to Handle Maintenance During COVID-19 - NAA provides insight into how to handle maintenance during the spread of COVID-19. Guidance is presented by Paul Rhodes, NAA National Safety and Maintenance Instructor. Released 3/20/2020
  • Legislative and Regulatory Updates  - NAA provides a property management-focused legislative and regulatory update in light of the spread of COVID-19. Guidance is presented by Nicole Upano, NAA Director of Public Policy. Released 3/19/2020
  • Teleworking Amid COVID-19 - NAA shares guidance that will be helpful as organizations transition from normal business operations to working remotely. Guidance is presented by Nancy Carbone, NAA Senior Vice President, Human Resources & Administration. Released 3/18/2020

Webinars

NAAEI and Grace Hill are offering additional webinars to help property management professionals navigate challenges surrounding COVID-19. 

Communicating & Keeping Residents Engaged Virtually
Thursday, April 2 at 1 p.m. ET

Virtual Verve: From Surviving to Thriving in a Virtual Work Environment - Habits, Rituals & Routines
Friday, April 3 at 1 p.m. ET 

To view past webinars, as well as available courses and bundles, visit Visto.

Managing Properties in the Age of Coronavirus

Bisnow hosted a webinar with NAA and IREM experts and members Barry Blanton, CPM® and Pat Hutchison, CPM®. The webinar covers strategic planning for property owners and managers, specifically looking at:

  • Continuity of business planning
  • Reviewing lease agreements in case of business disruptions
  • Creating healthy and hygienic work and living environments
  • Strategies for resident and tenant communications

View the Webinar Recording

Coronavirus Outbreak: What Real Estate Managers Need to Know

NAA and the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM) hosted managers from both rental housing and commercial management for a live panel discussion on addressing the spread of COVID-19 and developing policies and procedures around the coronavirus. Coronavirus Webinar: Answers to Frequently Asked Questions 

View the Webinar Recording

NAA Coronavirus Weekly Webinar: What Employers Should Know

NAA is releasing a series of in-depth, weekly webinars to provide guidance to the apartment industry for addressing the spread of COVID-19. The webinar below was released the week ending March 27, 2020.

View the Webinar Recording

Resources for Resident Exposure

Resources for Property Managers

Resources for Teleworking

Federal, State and Local Legal and Regulatory Updates

Economic Impact

Weekly updates on economic data releases, forecasts and impacts of the coronavirus on the national economy.

Media Guidance

WEBINAR: CRISIS COMMS & COVID-19 MEDIA GUIDANCE

NAA recommends that incoming media requests be directed to CDC and/or local health officials, who are better qualified to answer their questions at this time. You don’t want to be at risk with liability concerns. 

Ensure your office has proper contact information of the local health authority and/or the best CDC resources on hand for handling queries from local stakeholders.

NAA recommends a holding statement be developed. An example: "We appreciate your call. It is wise for everyone to remain current and follow the most recent guidance provided by health officials. That is why we request that you direct your question to [Local Health Official] or the CDC, who are on top of this situation."

Other Key Messages to Consider

NAA recommends that guidance from CDC and other officials be treated seriously. At present, CDC prevention information includes:

  • Wash hands often with soap and water for a minimum of 20 seconds. If soap and water are unavailable, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
  • Stay home when you are sick.
  • Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue away.
  • Frequently clean and disinfect touched objects and surfaces.

NAA encourages all members and affiliates to monitor the situation and stay current with advice from CDC and public health officials.

Media Coverage

Resources

Downloadable Resources From CDC and EPA

Communications from HUD

Resources from NAA’s Supplier Partners

Disclaimer: The following resources are produced by NAA supplier partners. The materials and information referenced are provided for general and informational purposes only. They are not offered as, and do not constitute, legal advice or legal opinions.

Resources from NAA's Top Tier Supplier Partners

Visit NAA’s Top Tier Partners Resource Centers, that provide COVID-19 solutions, tips and industry practices to continue delivering and protecting residents, prospects and teams during the COVID-19 situation. 

Additional Resources from NAA's Supplier Partners

This information is subject to change. If you are involved in a COVID-19 case with a resident, please contact NAA to apprise us so that we may provide further guidance.

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