A quarter of the government is shut down during this latest impasse on Capitol Hill. But as the standstill stretches on, people are feeling the impact in ways they never considered: from buying a house to getting a marriage license.

And for some, the consequences could be even more severe, especially for those who rely on federal programs and paychecks.

Domestic Violence Funding At Risk

Federal programs designed to help victims of domestic and sexual violence are now at risk, according to advocates.

The federal government provides money to help victims find emergency housing. It also helps pays the salaries for outreach workers at local shelters and funds free rape exams.

But because these programs—administered under the Violence Against Women Act — lapsed during the shutdown, there’s a growing sense of uncertainty for the providers who rely on federal support:

“If funding is at stake, I mean, it could cost people their lives,” says Sanu Dieng, who directs Transitions Family Violence Services in Hampton Virginia.

Dieng says clinics that provide support for domestic violence victims rely on a patchwork of federal government funding from a number of agencies: from Health and Human Services to Housing and Urban Development.

“Domestic or sexual violence agencies can’t do their work solely alone …. We all work together,” says Dieng. “Even just the announcement of a government shutdown can be earth-shattering.

Housing

Federally-backed mortgages can’t get processed. Home-buyers in flood zone areas can’t get their loans closed. Local realtors say, so far, they haven’t noticed any impact in the Washington-area region. But that’ll change as the shutdown drags on, according to several realtors interviewed.

Marriage In D.C.

Planning to get married in D.C.? The D.C. Marriage Bureau at the local courthouse is currently shuttered due to the shutdown. That means couples cannot pick up their licenses or get married at D.C. Superior Court.

The mayor’s office in D.C. has sent the Council emergency legislation to issue marriage licenses during a shutdown.

(Somewhat) Closed To Tourism

With only part of the government closed, the status of federal tourist sites is on a confusingly case-by-case basis.

The Smithsonians, National Zoo, and National Gallery of Art had managed to stay open for a while using last year’s funds before shuttering their doors in early 2019. The open-air monuments around the National Mall and Rock Creek Park are accessible, though you won’t find restrooms or park rangers, while Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens and the National Arboretum are both closed. The White House Visitor Center is closed, but the Capitol Visitor Center is still running tours and the Old Post Office Tower has reopened. Ford’s Theatre and the Kennedy Center are both still open for performances, but have otherwise restricted access to the sites. The National Archives are closed, while the Library of Congress is still open.

You could certainly be forgiven for showing up someplace that is locked; here’s a handy list of alternatives.

Credit Unions Step Up To Help

The most significant impact right now might be for those missing their paychecks. Some 800,000 federal workers are either furloughed or—because they’re considered “essential”—are working without pay.

Financial institutions, like federal credit unions, are trying to help out.

Dom Dimatteo is with the State Department federal credit union, which serves thousands of employees at the State Department, one of nine federal agencies currently shut down.

“We make emergency loans available at zero percent interest for two months to allow them to get back on track. We delay loan payments on a case by case basis. There’s a bunch of things like that that we do to help out our members who are affected,” says Dimatteo.

For federal employees, the economic pain of the shutdown is likely temporary.

When the government re-opens, Congress will make sure they get paid retroactively for any time missed.

Low-Wage Contractors Say They’re Already Suffering

But for federal contractors—the people who work for companies hired by the government—there’s no guarantee of any backpay.

This is already hurting the federal contractors who work low-wage jobs: the cleaning crews, security guards, and cafeteria workers at federal buildings.

“I’m really up against it because I’m the head of household,” says 71-year-old Lila Johnson, who has worked as a janitor at the Department of Agriculture for 21 years.

Johnson lives in Hagerstown, Maryland, and takes care of two grandchildren. She’s struggling to get by because of the shutdown.

“I don’t have the income to pay my bills, my car note, my car insurance, my rent,” says Johnson. “I’ve just got to relax and pray to God that they reopen government so I can go back to work.”

No one knows when the shutdown will end. What is clear, the longer it lasts, the more lives will be upended.

This story was originally published on WAMU.