Less than 80% of U.S. apartment residents had made their August rent payments as of last week.
That's a decline from a year ago but about the same as this time in July, according to the latest update from the National Multifamily Housing Council.
The Washington, D.C.-based apartment industry trade group tracks 11.4 million professionally managed rental units for its monthly nationwide survey.
Apartment landlords are keeping an eye on the info because of the surge in unemployment. The recent expiration of hundreds of dollars in weekly federal assistance for jobless Americans has been a big worry for the industry.
"Over the past few months apartment residents have largely been able to meet their housing obligations," David Schwartz, chairman of the National Multifamily Housing Council, said in a statement. "In no small part, this is due to the enhanced unemployment benefits enacted under the CARES Act and significant steps by apartment owners and operators to help their residents.
"These unemployment benefits that have proven so important to so many households have now lapsed, meaning greater financial distress for millions and the potential worsening of America's housing affordability crisis."
Schwartz said it is unclear when and if recent independent actions taken by the White House to continue federal unemployment aid will be available.
The apartment industry is lobbying Congress to continue to provide support with new legislation.
