Healthcare system concerns heightened during COVID-19 Pandemic. Americans share how they feel about healthcare during COVID-19 in a new survey. It’s no secret that the U.S. healthcare system is broken and the COVID-19 pandemic has only heightened Americans’ concerns about rising costs. The majority (60 percent) of Americans rated the U.S. healthcare system as “poor” [...]
Does an HOA have the power to restrict pool access due to COVID-19? This HOA board is concerned about liability and refuses to open it for residents. Q: How do I get our homeowner’s association board to open up our building’s three pools, all of which have been closed since March due to the pandemic? [...]
Buying a house during the COVID-19 pandemic: what you should know. Some homebuyers regret rushing the process to benefit from low mortgage rates. Mortgage rates reached another all-time low in September (9th time this year!), with Freddie Mac showing the 30-year fixed rate falling to 2.86 percent. But that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best [...]
Should you postpone condo board elections during COVID-19? This reader is hesitant to proceed with condo board meetings and elections during the COVID-19 pandemic. Q: I live in a condominium building with around 100 units. We have seven board members and we are supposed to vote on some new board members this fall. Residents will [...]
What can I do if my building isn’t following local COVID-19 rules? What you can do about it and how to keep yourself safe. Q: Our city maintains a list of states that have high COVID-19 cases and requires local residents or visitors to quarantine for two weeks after traveling to these states. One of [...]
COVID-19 Pandemic: how can you enforce a quarantine? This reader wants to know how travel quarantines can be enforced in a 55+ condo development. Q: We live in Florida in a 55+ condominium development in Florida. Our question is whether residents who visit out-of-state folks need to quarantine themselves upon return. And, what about residents [...]
Can you break a lease during COVID-19? This reader’s grandson rented an apartment near campus but fall classes are being held online. Q: In January, my grandson and three of his friends agreed to rent a 4-bedroom apartment near the campus starting in August, when school was supposed to resume. They signed the lease in [...]
COVID-19: unemployment and the mounting financial crisis. Understanding how people live paycheck-to-paycheck and the implications of extended unemployment. Q: In your recent column in the Washington Post, it was stated that “nearly 80 percent of Americans were living paycheck to paycheck before the pandemic…” I want to know how do you define living paycheck-to-paycheck when [...]
What happens to the economy when the PPP runs out of money? This reader wants to know how another rise in unemployment will impact the economy. Q: I tried to call in to WGN radio when Ilyce was on a couple of weeks ago. Do you think unemployment will skyrocket when the Paycheck Protection Program [...]
COVID-19 housing impact: which homeowners are most vulnerable? New research spotlights housing markets that are most at-risk in the U.S. The COVID-19 pandemic is having an impact on many parts of the economy: Mortgage interest rates hit an all-time low last week (a 30-year fixed-rate loan can be had for an average of 2.98 percent) [...]
