Rebound Mid Michigan: Asking for rent or mortgage help

It's less than two weeks until rent or mortgage payments are due again.

If you're worried about being able to pay, Alicia Nieves shows us what you might be able to do to buy your family some time, and where to find letters to send your bank or landlord as you ask for help.

IF YOU'RE HAVING TROUBLE MAKINGENDS MEET WHEN IT COMES TO YOURRENT ANDYOUR MORTGAGE... THERE ARE SOMEOPTIONS OUT THERE.ALICIA NIEVES SHOWS US WHAT YOUCAN DO TO BUY SOME TIME.MANY HOMEOWNERS AND RENTERS ARESTILL STRUGGLING...ACCORDING TO A SURVEY DONE BYAPARTMENT LIST, 31% OF THEM WEREUNABLE TOMAKE THEIR FULL HOUSING PAYMENTTHIS MONTH."THE PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLESTRUGGLING TO PAY THEIR HOUSINGCOST IS DEFINITELY GOING UP."MAY'S 31% IS UP FROM 24% OFHOMEOWNERS AND RENTERS WHO WEREUNABLE TOPAY THEIR RENTS AND MORTGAGES INAPRIL."OF THE PEOPLE WHO WEREN'T ABLETO PAY THEIR FULL HOUSING COST,ABOUT 40%SAID THEY HAD MADE SOME SORT OFARRANGEMENT.

PRESUMABLY DESPITENOT BEINGABLE TO PAY THEIR FULL HOUSINGCOST IT WAS UNDER SOME KIND OFARRANGEMENTMADE WITH THEIR LANDLORD ORLENDER."THAT MEANS 60% OF HOMEOWNERS ANDRENTERS MADE NO ARRANGEMENTS...AND ESSENTIALLY...MAY NOT BETAKING FULL ADVANTAGE OFPROVISIONS CONGRESS PASSED INTHE CARES ACT... TO HELP THEM."ANYBODY WITH A FEDERALLY BACKEDMORTGAGES HAS THE RIGHTS, UNDERTHESTIMULUS, TO DELAY THEIRMORTGAGES PAYMENTS FOR 6 MONTHS.BUT THEY NEED TOREQUEST IT SPECIFICALLY."THE COMPANY SIXFIFTY, HASCREATED TWO FREE WEBSITES TOHELP THOSE STILLSTRUGGLING WITH HOUSING COSTS.THE FIRST, HELLOLENDER.ORG MAKESIT EASIER FOR HOMEOWNERS TOACCESS THE HELP PROVIDED BYCONGRESS."WE SAW BANKS USHERING PEOPLEINTO THEIR OWN FORBEARANCEPROGRAMS WHICHHAD TERMS THAT WERE NOT NEARLYAS GENEROUS AS THE FEDERALSTIMULUS.

SO WE DEVELOPED THISLETTER SO THAT PEOPLE COULDSPECIFICALLYREQUEST TO DELAY THEIR PAYMENTSUNDER THE FEDERAL STIMULUS."SIXFIFTY'S SECOND SITE ISHELLOLANDLORD.ORG."IT WRITES A LETTER TO THELANDLORD, INFORMING THEM THATTHEY CAN'T PAY RENT ANDTHAT EVICTIONS ARE LIKELY BARREDUNDER THE FEDERAL STIMULUS."3000 PEOPLE HAVE USED THESELETTERS IN THE LAST 4 WEEKS, ANDIT IS UNCLEARHOW MANY WILL USE THEM FOR NEXTMONTH.

ANALYSTS WITH APARTMENTLIST ARE UNSURE IF THENUMBER OF AMERICANS STRUGGLINGTO MAKE THEIR MONTHLY HOUSINGPAYMENT, WILLCONTINUE TO RISE IN JUNE."JUNE WE ARE IN THIS PLACE WHERECERTAIN PARTS OF THE ECONOMY AREREOPENING.SOME PEOPLE ARE BEING ABLE TOSTART WORKING AGAIN."I THINK THAT IFPEOPLE ARE CONTINUING TO GETLAID OFF AT THE RATE THEY AREGETTING LAID OFF THENTHE NUMBER COULD GET WORSE, BUTJUNE MAY ALSO BE THE TURNINGPOINT."I'M ALICIA NIEVES REPORTING