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Many Coloradans Worried About Paying Their Rent During Coronavirus Pandemic

DENVER (CBS4) - Angie Amos is wondering how she's going to pay her rent amid the coronavirus pandemic. She's been sick and had to stay home from work, but April's rent is due soon. So far she hasn't heard back from her apartment manager.

"I had questioned if they were offering any type of assistance. Rent freezes, eviction pauses, stuff like…I got no response," she told CBS4's Dominic Garcia.

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Tuesday, the Colorado Apartment Association, which is made up of representatives from nearly 45 medium and large housing communities and housing providers throughout the state, announced its recommendations for Colorado rental housing providers as COVID-19 continues to affect the state.

RELATED: Latest Updates On The Coronavirus Outbreak In Colorado  

The Colorado Apartment Association recommends its members take the following steps through April 30, 2020:

  • Create payment plans for residents unable to pay rent because of virus related loss of income
  • Waive all late fees through April 30, 2020
  • Refrain from enforcing eviction orders with move-outs through April 30, 2020
  • Avoid rent increases
  • Share the Colorado Housing Financial Assistance Programs and Apartment Association of Metro Denver's list of resources for renters
  • Limit entry to rental properties to only emergency maintenance response
  • Follow HIPPA federal rules for resident and employee privacy if a community has a positive test
  • Increase common area cleaning with the approved list of cleaning supplies from the CDC
  • Continue to follow the Governor's mandate for reduced workplace staff and continue to follow the CDC guidelines for social distancing
  • Maintain emergency maintenance needs for renters
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Michelle Lyng, with the Colorado Apartment Association, says that working with renters to pay their rent benefits everyone in the long run.

"Colorado's rental market is actually an ecosystem. When tenants pay us we are able to pay our employees. We're able to pay our vendors, we're able to pay our mortgages. So when that's affected it creates hardships for everyone in the food chain," she told CBS4's Dominic Garcia.

LINK: Apartment Association of Metro Denver

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