Fannie Mae Extends Protections for Renters Affected by COVID-19

WASHINGTON, DC – To continue to support renters in multifamily units and Fannie Mae-financed multifamily property owners experiencing financial difficulties as COVID-19 persists, Fannie Mae (FNMA/OTCQB) today announced the extension of its multifamily COVID-19 forbearance program through September 30, 2021. The program, which requires landlords to suspend all evictions for renters unable to pay rent during the forbearance period, was formerly set to expire on June 30, 2021.

For any Fannie Mae-financed multifamily properties with a new or modified forbearance plan as the result of a financial hardship due to COVID-19, the property owner must inform tenants in writing about tenant protections available during the property owner’s forbearance and repayment periods. In addition, the borrower is required to provide tenant protections, which include:

• Allow the tenant flexibility to repay back rent over time and not in a lump sum;
• Not charge the tenant late fees or penalties for non-payment of rent; and
• Give the tenant at least a 30-day notice to vacate.

“Fannie Mae remains committed to supporting renters and multifamily property owners as COVID-19 continues to financially impact many people in the United States,” said Michele Evans, Executive Vice President and Head of Multifamily. “By extending the forbearance program for Fannie Mae multifamily borrowers, we are also extending essential protections and flexibilities for renters, which will help keep people in their apartments as the economy continues to improve.”

Here to Help

Since March 2020, Fannie Mae has taken a number of actions to help renters facing financial hardship due to COVID-19, including extending eviction protections to multifamily renters when the property owner received a forbearance and announcing a new Renters Resource Finder tool.

These and the many other resources, including KnowYourOptions.com, that we make available are part of our ongoing Here to Help education effort, aimed at helping homeowners and renters impacted by COVID-19 understand the options available to them. For renters, KnowYourOptions.com provides straightforward information to understand rent relief and assistance options and to understand the available tenant protections.

Renters in a multifamily property financed by Fannie Mae also have access to the Disaster Response Network, which offers free assistance from U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development-certified housing counselors who can help navigate financial challenges caused by COVID-19, such as information and guidance on accessing federal and state housing assistance, unemployment benefits, nutritional assistance, and other available programs. The Disaster Response Network can be accessed from the Renters Resource Finder on KnowYourOptions.com, or by calling 877-833-1746.