Surgo Ventures, a nonprofit that applies data analytics to social issues, says that many Bucks County renters continue to struggle. The Lower Southampton Patch reported the findings.

An estimated 7,211 (13.1 percent) of Bucks County rental households were behind in paying rents as of early August, the organization found.

The estimated number of households in arrears has declined slightly since July (4 percent), when around 7,506 residents were overdue.

Delinquent households in Bucks County numbered 7,506 and collectively owed $29,527,137 in back rent as of early August. The average debt was $4,098.

The U.S. Supreme Court struck down the Biden administration’s federal eviction moratorium extension in late August, upping the ante on getting current.

Federal aid has been sluggish. More than $46 billion in emergency rental aid (ERA) has been approved by Congress, but tenant and landlord disbursements have been plagued with long timelines.

“ERA programs are up and running for the large part, but they are slow to get money into the hands of renters,” Surgo Ventures senior research scientist Aaron Dibner-Dunlap said.

The end of federal unemployment benefits earlier this month could put more people behind on rent as well. Dibner-Dunlap predicted, “It stands to reason more people could fall behind on rent before they can recover.”

More on the status of Bucks County renters is at the Southampton Patch.