What is Coronavirus?

COVID-19 is a novel coronavirus causing the World Health Organization (WHO) to classify this outbreak as a pandemic on March 11, 2020. Symptoms include fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Anyone experiencing emergency signs such as difficulty breathing, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, new confusion or bluish lips or face should immediately seek medical attention.

For the latest updates and more information go to:

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• U.S. Chamber of Commerce

What You Should Know

Older adults and people who have severe underlying chronic medical conditions like heart or lung disease or diabetes seem to be at higher risk for developing more serious complications from COVID-19 illness. The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person and the best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus. The CDC urges citizens to monitor your health and practice social distancing. Social distancing means staying out of crowded places, avoiding group gatherings, and maintaining distance (approximately 6 feet) from others when possible.

• Workplace, School, and Home Guidance
• People at Risk for Serious Illness from COVID-19
• How COVID-19 Spreads
• Symptoms
• Steps to Prevent Illness
• Testing
• Frequently Asked Questions
• What to Do If You Are Sick with COVID-19
• Stigma Related to COVID-19
• What You Need to Know
• Facts about COVID-19
• Information for People at Higher Risk and Special Populations
• Communication Resources

Coronavirus Articles

ALTA is producing a COVID-19 Update email that compiles the most important articles of the day. You can sign up to receive these updates.

Recent 2021 2020

More than 11 million Americans, or 16% of U.S. renters, say they aren’t caught up with their housing payments, according to a recent analysis by The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. And with the national eviction ban scheduled to expire on July 31, advocates fear many tenants may not get the relief in time to stay in their homes.

For the 20th straight week, servicers’ forbearance portfolio volume dropped—this time a staggering 26 basis points, to 3.50% in the period ending July 11, per a survey from the Mortgage Bankers Association. According to MBA’s estimate, 1.75 million homeowners are in forbearance plans.

The national ban on evictions is scheduled to be lifted at the end of the month, yet just a sliver of the $45 billion in assistance allocated by Congress has gone out to renters behind on housing payments.

For more than a year now, the housing market has been a perfect storm for sellers, but the winds may finally be shifting. Strong demand and record-low supply are starting to ease, and mortgage rates are coming down off their recent highs. While home prices are still surging, these new market dynamics will likely take some of the heat out of those gains as well.

The U.S. added 850,000 jobs in June, the most since summer 2020 — which may have some wondering if recent state cuts to unemployment benefits are getting people back to work. The short answer: It’s too soon to tell, according to labor economists.