Author: veritasinv

‘This Further Assures Residents That All Who Qualify For Rent Relief Will Get It’

San Francisco-based Veritas Investments, one of the largest managers of apartment homes in San Francisco, announced today a first-of-its-kind rent relief program for its residents who apply to the State’s Emergency Rent Assistance Program (“ERAP”) program. Under the Veritas “Rent-relief Backstop” program, the firm will forgive the uncovered portion of a resident’s back-rent who has applied to and qualifies for State relief funds but may later find that such funds become depleted — resolving a concern that has been aired about the oft-confusing relief efforts rolled out in response to the pandemic.

“We like to think of it as providing our residents an early holiday gift, in taking one more concern off their plates,” said Jeff Jerden, Veritas’ COO.  “Veritas has been laser focused on helping our residents stay safely housed throughout this unprecedented crisis, including having the farthest-reaching eviction moratorium in the country, and giving residents direct aid in the millions of dollars to date.  Our new Rent-relief Backstop is the first to provide a safety net behind the State ERAP relief, removing all impediments for those who may qualify to apply.”

Veritas’ residents qualifying for this offer must apply for State ERAP funds at www.housingiskey.com and fully cooperate with the State program. Should an application for funds, which would have otherwise been approved, be denied based on a shortage of funding from the government at some point in the future, Veritas and its GreenTree Property Management affiliate will then contribute funding up to the 18-month maximum coverage period offered by the State program. This offer applies only where a resident has submitted a completed application to the State by January 31, 2022. The State and Governor Newsom have continued to say that 100% coverage is available up to the 18-month maximum for all who qualify and apply to the ERAP program. 

GreenTree will monitor the screening process conducted by the State via its ERAP portal to determine whether a resident applies for and qualifies for ERAP funding. GreenTree’s commitment to fund rent relief coverage will apply only to residents who qualify for funding but are unable to receive it, should there be a lack of funds from the State, up to the maximum 18-month coverage period outlined in its ERAP program.

For residents who have a pending or approved application for rental assistance, the company will continue to hold off on imposing annual rent increases. In addition, GreenTree continues to waive late fees for residents who have a pending or approved application for rent relief.

Veritas/Greentree residents who have questions may call the firm’s Resident Services for support at (415) 347-8600. A letter announcing the program was sent to residents, and included access to a training video outlining specific steps, as explained by a nonprofit housing partner, Mission Economic Development Agency (“MEDA”), during recent outreach efforts.

For any San Francisco residents with questions about various protections under local, state, and federal law, there are local resources who can help including  the San Francisco Rent Board (visit sfrb.org or call 415.252.4600); or the Eviction Defense Collaborative (call 415.659.9184, or by email legal@evictiondefense.org, or in-person at 1338 Mission Street).

Veritas has been a leader in resident-relief efforts throughout the pandemic, having  announced in March 2020 that it was instituting what is believed to be  the nation’s first eviction moratorium and later extended it further than any other California owners or managers; and Veritas has provided millions of dollars in direct rent-relief for its residents to date, working with those that ask for assistance as well as contacting them directly.

“We will also continue to support San Francisco residents through the wide variety of programs that Veritas currently participates in or has initiated itself, including its Open Doors Program that has provided temporary, furnished apartments at no cost to victims of domestic violence and, more recently, to Afghan refugees arriving in the Bay Area; the Home Bridge Program that helps families find relief during times of crisis, emergency or unforeseen circumstances through partnerships with Ronald McDonald House Charities and UCSF; and through our partnerships with Project Open Hand, HealthRight 360, Self-Help for the Elderly, and other programs,” added Jerden. 

San Francisco-based Veritas Investments, one of the largest managers of apartment homes in San Francisco, announced today it is voluntarily extending to Dec. 31, 2021 a moratorium on evictions to assist residents facing financial hardship caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. State and local moratoriums are currently set to expire June 30, 2021.

“Veritas is committed to keeping residents safely housed during this unprecedented crisis,” said Jeff Jerden, Veritas’ COO. “No resident in any Veritas-managed property will be evicted because they owe back-rent due to COVID-19 if they meet the definition of financial hardship laid out in the state’s SB 91 legislation. We’ve heard from our residents and the upcoming end to the state’s eviction moratorium coupled with the slow release of rent-relief funds is of great concern to them. Through face-to-face discussions, as well as thorough and repeated outreach with our Veritas residents, we’ve urged everyone to apply.”

Veritas had announced in March 2020 that it was instituting the nation’s first eviction moratorium, prior to legislation by the City of San Francisco that later brought all landlords and property managers under similar guidance.

With the since-instituted local and state moratoria set to expire this June 30, Veritas has been urging residents to be proactive in applying for rent relief that they are entitled to, even as local and state officials have recognized a disconnect in getting financial relief to recipients.

As reported by the Associated Press, “California has been slow to distribute funds,” having received $490 million in rental aid requests through May 31, with only $32 million paid out. Just over 2% of people in California who have applied for rent relief during the pandemic have received it, whereas the state has accrued $5.2 billion from federal aid packages to assist those whose COVID-19 related economic hardships prevented them from paying rent. “It should be enough to get the job done,” Jason Elliott, senior counselor to Gov. Gavin Newsom, told AP. “The move would fulfill a promise to landlords to help them to break even, while giving renters relief,” according to AP.

Veritas has already provided millions of dollars in rent-relief support for its residents to date, working with those that ask for assistance as well as contacting them directly.

“We will also continue to support San Francisco residents through the wide variety of programs that Veritas currently participates in or has initiated itself, including its Open Doors Program that provides temporary, furnished apartments at no cost to victims of domestic violence, wildfire survivors and cancer patients; the Home Bridge Program that helps families find relief during times of crisis, emergency or unforeseen circumstances through partnerships with Ronald McDonald House Charities and UCSF; and through our partnerships with Project Open Hand, HealthRight 360, Self-Help for the Elderly, and other programs,” added Jerden.

Star time! Three GreenTree staff were honored with awards from the San Francisco Apartment Association this month for “rising above the chaos,” as COO Jeff Jerden put it, “continuing to provide our residents with the exemplary service they deserve.” Congratulations on being named 2020 SFAA Stars:

Wanda Brown, Resident Manager for 2128 Van Ness, has built a remarkable sense of community there. In addition to maintaining an immaculate building, Wanda warmly welcomes every guest with festive seasonal décor and hosts regular resident appreciation events. And when a resident unfortunately tested positive for COVID-19, Wanda personally delivered medicine and homecooked meals to their front door daily, for the 14-day self-quarantine period. Another resident wrote about Wanda: “She has brought us together as neighbors and fostered an environment of friendship and caring. When someone isn’t well, Wanda delivers food and medicine to them. Wanda goes the extra mile to help us feel like a community – and it really has brought the building together as a caring community.”

Greg Goglin, Senior Manager of Building Operations, has gone above and beyond despite the pandemic. During this challenging year, Greg quadrupled the size of GreenTree’s in-house Maintenance Team, with an emphasis on putting the needs of our residents first. Each skilled technician is dedicated to responding to every work order within one business day. When the pandemic hit, Greg went right to work to keep residents safe. He launched one of the largest maintenance projects of 2020, installing hand sanitizer stations and face covering signage in every building throughout the portfolio. In addition to keeping our residents safe while maintaining their homes in good working order, Greg has also worked tirelessly to keep his own team and the rest of GreenTree safe as well.

Esteban Tenjo, Associate Property Manager, is focused, organized and solutions-oriented. His motto is a simple yet revolutionary one, in a world where customer service is dwindling: treat every resident the way you want your mother to be treated. When the easier, tech-based methods of communication don’t seem to effectively resolve an issue, Esteban prefers to meet with the resident face-to-face, at their home (in PPE from a safe distance, of course!). Esteban understands the power of empathy. His secret sauce? Active listening and honesty.