American landlords are struggling to find a way out after United States President Joe Biden approved a new eviction moratorium to help renters keep their homes amid the coronavirus pandemic.
On Wednesday, a landlord in New York said that the Democrat's administration's new legislation has left her $50,000 short as her renter, who has been employed throughout the health crisis, refuses to pay her dues. Suzanne Antolini, a homeowner in Long Island, said she has tried every available option looking for assistance since her tenant stopped making payments in March 2020.
New Eviction Moratorium
In an interview, Antolini said that the male resident refused to make payments and seemed like he had no intention of leaving as he is backed by the eviction moratorium. The landlord noted that the tenant had been rightfully employed since the beginning of the health crisis and only chose not to make the payments.
The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention implemented a new eviction moratorium that would last until October 3, which replaced a previous deadline that expired on July 31. Antolini revealed that local and state legislators were unable to help her with her dilemma, Fox News reported.
The landlord said American lawmakers did not provide programs to help homeowners who continue to come up short due to the lack of payments from their tenants. In Antolini's case, her tenant actually moved two additional people into their home.
While the country's Emergency Rental Assistance Program helps struggling residents, Antolini revealed she has not been able to benefit from it because her tenant must be the one to apply. She said that since her tenant was employed, applying for the program basically meant he was admitting he was a fraud.
Some landlords have also become desperate enough to sell their rented homes or condos as they continue to struggle to get payments from their tenants. One Lahaina, Hawaii resident, Jennifer Collins, previously lost her job as a restaurant server during the health crisis. She placed her hopes on three condos she owned to try and stay afloat, the Washington Post reported.
Struggling Landlords and Tenants
However, one of her tenants refused to pay his dues and even changed the locks on the home to prevent Collins from gaining access. The landlord is now trying to sell off the other two units as she ponders over the lack of support for her and the other landlords.
But the struggles go both ways as some renters are still unable to make ends meet despite the eviction moratorium in place. One resident, 41-year-old Vanessa Merryman, was forced to leave her apartment despite the eviction ban. She said that she had never been homeless her entire life.
Inside Courtroom 8A of Las Vegas Justice Court last week, landlords and tenants battled over evictions amid the eviction moratorium. Merryman was among those who lost the fight and subsequently lost their homes as they are unable, not unwilling, to make the payments while juggling other financial necessities, the New York Times reported.
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