I think we can all agree that January was a terrible month for a lot of Chicago residents. We had 25 days of government shutdown which left about 8000 Illinois residents without pay for most of the month. While SNAP Benefits ("food stamps") were still distributed in Illinois, many of those workers still wound up visiting food pantries in order to get by.

As soon as the shutdown ended, the snow followed, and then the polar vortex. The post office was not delivering mail for the last two days of the month, when many renters drop their rent checks in the mail. About 4000 flights were canceled. Paratransit was canceled. School was canceled. Workers were forced to use vacation time or simply go without pay in order to watch their kids or stay safe. Some of those who called off work this week may find their shifts reduced or their jobs terminated as a result.

The extreme cold also put strain on the furnaces and boilers heating Chicago apartments, many of which are sized to work properly while the outside temperature is above 0°F but no lower. Apartment doors froze shut. Pipes froze solid. Windows and walls iced over.

A lot of news outlets ran articles on how to prepare for polar vortex Jayron. However, the aftermath of January 2019 is a separate matter that could also benefit from some attention, and I have a feeling that the media will not really address it now that the worst has passed.

Circumstances like those we faced over the past month have given rise to a lot of worst-case scenario "what if" questions popping up from renters and landlords on discussion boards across the web. I wanted address some of the major questions and rumors that have arisen from these discussions to make sure our renting readers are operating on the correct information.

1. I'm a federal employee who spent January without pay. What should I do if I can't afford my February rent?

You need to be in immediate contact with your landlord. You need to be creating a paper trail now. While some landlords may be forgiving this month, others will have no sympathy at all and you have to operate on the assumption that February will be business as usual at your landlord's office until you receive written confirmation to the contrary. You may be able to work out a payment plan where you add a certain amount to your monthly payments over the next few months to pay off February's rent, and this should definitely be the first thing you offer to do. Continue reading The Aftermath of January 2019