Local apartment community management companies are stepping in to lend a helping hand during the partial federal government shutdown.

Area renters may be feeling the squeeze if they are furloughed federal employees. Without paychecks, some DMV management companies understand that it may be hard to pay your rent on time and are working with tenants directly. Local media outlets are reporting on the subject and listing management companies that are willing to help.

Southern Management Corporation

Southern Management Corporation, out of Vienna, Virginia, just put out a press release explaining their corporate view on the situation:

"As long-term owner operators, Southern has always partnered with our residents and communities to provide help and resources for those in need. At Southern, we seek to understand our residents' unique challenges and find soutions," said Suzanne Hillman, CEO of Southern Management Corporation. "We're closely monitoring the situtation and will work with our residents on a case-by-case basis to help them through this period of uncertainty."

If you live in one of Southern Management's 77 apartment home communities, contact your Resident Services team or leasing office for additional details. 

What can I do if I can't pay my rent due to the shutdown?

Realtor.com has some great advice about how to handle a potentially late rent payment.

• First off, check to see if your community management is offering any sort of flexibility in payments due to the government shutdown. 
• Next, make sure you're doing everything in writing. Any agreement between you and the management company needs to be on paper to protect both landlord and tenant.
• Come up with a plan that would work for all involved. Include late fees or a payment arrangement spread out over the month -- anything to show that you are making a good-faith effort to pay the rent in its entirety.

Communication is the key to successfully navigating late payments. As tempting as it is to just ignore the payment deadlines, you'll be infinitely better off if you address them straight-away. Get started on a payment plan before it's too late, and be sure to stick to your agreement. Factor in all of your bills before agreeing to anything, and check with your other creditors to see if they are offering any sort of flexibility.

**All photos in this article are courtesy of Pexels.

Do you know of other community management companies willing to be flexible with their tenants during the shutdown? Let us know in the comments below.

Need other financial assistance during the shutdown? Check out this list of resources!

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