It’s official: some 800,000 federal workers missed their first paycheck on Friday. Federal contractors haven’t been paid since the partial government shutdown began three weeks ago. But their bills continue unabated.

While some local landlords have promised to work with tenants who are furloughed, others have said that “it’s on the resident to pay on time, regardless of the situation.” D.C. and Maryland officials say government workers and contractors have filed at least 7,000 unemployment claims.

Now, the office of At-large D.C. Councilmember Anita Bonds is working on emergency legislation that would protect federal workers and contractors from being evicted or foreclosed upon; having cars or other property repossessed; falling behind in student loan payments or other bills; or losing insurance because of missed premiums, says senior advisor David Meadows.

Bonds’ office is trying to create a local version of a bill introduced on Capitol Hill by Democrats this week that would prevent landlords and creditors from from taking action against feds and contractors during the shutdown and for 30 days after. The Federal Employee Civil Relief Act is itself modeled after a bill that provides protections for active duty servicemembers.

Meadows says that Bonds, who chairs the housing committee, will introduce the bill at the next legislative meeting on January 22, unless the D.C. Council convenes on an emergency basis before then. Right now, though, Bonds’ office is trying to work through the legality of the measure. “Councilmember Bonds is looking at the best ways to protect those who are affected,” says Meadows.

According to Marian Siegel, the executive director of non-profit Housing Counseling Services, her staff has reported getting calls this week from those affected by the furlough who need assistance with rent and mortgages.

“My guess is that current calls are from contractors and employees of businesses affected,” says Siegel. “Next week, after missing their first paychecks, we will start hearing from federal employees themselves.” She says during previous furloughs, which have recently been shorter in duration, “we’ve had an increased demand for our foreclosure prevention program and eviction and homeless prevention program.”

She says that they’re expecting to see more of the impact until 30 days after bills are first due. “You won’t get a court notice until you’re 30 days late, and it’s the same with lenders,” says Siegel. “We do know that the vast majority of Americans live paycheck to paycheck—certainly we see that with the majority of our clients and rent is taking up 60 percent of people’s incomes.”

The funding for Housing Counseling Services is local, but it comes from a federal pass-through, which has Siegel wondering whether the non-profit will have to furlough its staffers if the shutdown continues. “So far, we haven’t been told by any of the city agencies to alter services, but we’re expecting that may change,” says Siegel. “We’re thinking about [whether] we have to furlough staff at the same time federal and furloughed workers need more assistance.”

She’s preparing employees for the possibility. “I’m warning staff that these are precarious times, and to make sure you protect yourself—this isn’t the time to buy a plane ticket.” she says. “I’m also making sure that staff is naturally sensitive that we might be getting an influx of need.”

The D.C. Housing Authority, which provides housing assistance for low and moderate-income D.C. families, has said that it will not be affected by the shutdown for at least 90 days—it received its standard payment from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in early January and has set aside financial reserves that will allow the agency to operate through March of this year.

By D.C. law, tenants cannot be evicted on a day when the National Weather Service predicts that the temperature at National Airport weather station will drop below freezing. While the National Weather Service is considered critical during the shutdown and remains open during the shutdown, its forecasters and managers are not getting paid.