Many of the states hit hardest by the COVID-19 outbreak, including New York, have been calling for a moratorium on rent payments and evictions. However, this has led to a backlash by landlords who say they have bills to pay too. For many of these property owners, their rentals are their sole source of income.
It is part of the cascading effect of the economic shutdown to combat the virus. Governors are urging landlords not to evict renters during the crisis — some even going as far as officially prohibiting evictions, as New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo did in March.
Cuomo suspended evictions for both residential and commercial property for 90 days in New York, which has emerged as the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak in the U.S.
Delaware Gov. John Carney halted evictions in his declaration of a state of emergency, citing the public health threat and the need for people to shelter in their homes.
That doesn’t help landlords who still have mortgage payments to make and rely on rent payments. It creates a domino effect.
Still, many landlords have said that they remained hopeful they would get by with aid in the $2 trillion coronavirus economic rescue bill signed by President Trump last week, which included government checks and unemployment benefits that could help tenants pay rent for next few months.
Local governments also are stepping up to give guidance to cash-strapped tenants and worried landlords.
The San Diego Housing Commission created a website that gives tenants information on how to qualify for rent relief and what proof they must provide their landlords.
The rent is not entirely forgiven. Tenants get six months to catch up on their payments.
San Diego’s moratorium on evictions expires May 31.
In Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis has been pressured to issue a moratorium on evictions but has not formally done so. Sen. Rick Scott, Florida Republican, said the coronavirus relief package that Congress has passed does not go far enough.
The legislation put into place a nation-wide moratorium on evictions, but Mr. Scott wants a 30-day halt on taxes, utility payments, credit card payments, mortgages, and financial payments including rent.
“Today is April 1, and so many across our nation are struggling to pay their rent, mortgage and other financial obligations,” he said in a press release.
“I thank the many governors that have taken action to prevent evictions and foreclosures in their states. But we have to go even further to provide much-needed relief for Americans – and we have to do it today,” he added.
Sadly the banks in the end get burned. A house goes into foreclosure they sell places for the paper debt. The landlord walks away with a black mark on their credit. I’m a landlord. I don’t pay the mortgage I lose what I put down, which hopefully was very very little. Exactly because of this potential equation and possibility. Banks at least don’t come out in the red. The only actual cash lost is what the landlord put down to get the mortgage. A smart landlord puts very little into the game because losing properties because of deadbeat tenants has become pretty standard procedure in this country. 75 percent of american INNER CITY rentals are not paid on a regular basis . The renting class consists chiefly of individuals who put payment of rent at the bottom of their monthly priorities. AND THAt IS A KNOWN AND ONGOING MONTHLY REALITY.
First rescind the golden benefit packages, expense allotments, and salaries of all legislators and their staffers. You will see how they will deal with the shock of not being able to pay their bills and maintain their lifestyles.
So they won’t have money to pay rent and will be out of work say 4-6 months and will be expected to pay back say $10,000to $12,500 in 6 months from now after losing what little they had to begin with? Really?
My husband and I have three rentals. We struggled for years to pay for them because he had no retirement. We did it so he would have retirement. We lived in one apartment and when we had a down payment on a house we kept our apartment to rent out. Many months we had to pay a big amount ourselves due to it being empty for a few months. We had to do major work when someone moved out because it was in bad shape. He’s disabled and I worked. Now since the government told people to not pay rent but have food and necessities for family. They don’t think they have to pay. We still have a duplex with a mortgage so we are stuck again. The problem with this is we know one of our renters has been working in another job during his layoff. He’s getting the stimulus and his wife. But we must pay our mortgage for our home and the rental. We just replaced the kitchen stove and dishwasher which we will have to pay for. People think those with rentals have it made. We don’t. Many times a move out is a two month nightmare. We must paint, fix plumbing, replace appliances and flooring to make it rentable for the next family. We got the raw end of the stick.
If you evict a tenant I hope you have someone lined up to move into that apt. If not, you will still have no income from it.
Suggestion. Landlords listen up. First it makes no sense to panic and start to evict people.
Second. While we are in this mess, offer a suggested rental monthly payment %, while you’re negotiating your government stimulus.
Third. Realistically, it will take more than 6 months to repay 3 to 4 months of back rent.
There’s no guarantee that most people will get their jobs back in that time frame. If not, if lucky, they might still be on some level of unemployment, which in no way compensate for rents.
Just a little common sense. Think about it.
Since the state unemployment boards across the country apparently are struggling to handle the claims, temporary forgiveness of typical debts is the right thing to do for the American people.
I remember The fearful leader 1st words about the coronavirus ” there is nothing to worry about, there was One Chinese guy that came into the , there is nothing to worry about, a pandemic will never come to our country, our country is basically too good to worry about such 3rd world problems. ” He should pay all the bills, mortgages, delinquent rent, the lost wages, the lost income of every person who have been damaged by trump’s “1 Chinese guy that came into our country”. He is a liar, a foriegn operative for those that want to destroy our great country and our incredible way of life. It is all on the liar. November is right around the corner. He and his cronies in the Senate should start packing their bags. See yah..
Oh yeah this corona virus is a dream coming true for the s.o.b.’s who don’t pay their rent and supposed to be evicted!!!
I have a tenant who didn’t pay for months and now the eviction process is halted…if i will get in forclusure for not being able to pay my mortgage what is gonna be the bigger loss??? the s.o.b. to be forced to move or me, the landlord, lose my property I achieved with my blood and tears and years and hard work and sacrifices????
But in the United States of America the crocks and criminals have more rights than honest hard working people.
Does Maryland protect senior renters