The landlord estimates that up to 10% of his hundreds of tenants are delinquent on their rent.
Seattle landlord Carl Haglund thinks the restrictions imposed during the pandemic are to blame for a rise in renters skipping rent payments.
According to Haglund, the problem is that the city has passed new legislation that makes it harder for us to effectively remove the renters, and that has made it more pricey during this COVID embargo.
Haglund used the example of a specific tenant—KING 5 will not name him—who allegedly hasn’t cleaned up after his pets in months. According to Haglund, the tenant is also behind on payments. The landlord estimates that up to 10% of his hundreds of tenants are delinquent on their rent.
We can’t change the fact that he hasn’t paid the rent in 18 months and that he owes us more than $25,000, said Haglund..
Mayor Jenny Durkan’s executive order has put a stop to evictions in Seattle, at least till the end of September. A judge will have to decide if there is a “imminent threat to health and safety” in Haglund’s tenant’s case, despite the fact that the decree allows residents to be evicted if there is one.
The final determination of whether the scenario that Mr. Haglund describes meets the criteria for that level of seriousness will be made by the courts, according to Bryan Stevens, the city of Seattle’s director of media relations and permit coordination.3
According to Solid Ground’s directors, a nonprofit organization based in Seattle that seeks to retain people in their homes, landlords will be compensated. They focused on the rising number of tenants who are still struggling as a result of the pandemic.
Will Toaspern of Solid Ground claims that people are working extremely hard to pay their rent? Toaspern asserts that it is a simple truth that money provided by the federal and state governments for rental assistance will eventually end up in the pockets of property owners.
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 has allocated tens of millions of dollars to help pay renters’ bills, but landlords are unsure of when they will receive the money.
Haglund said, “There is absolutely no remedy accessible to us.”
Durkan has increased the eviction prohibition five times since the outbreak began. Also, the city has decreed that utilities won’t be disconnected for nonpayment until the end of 2021.
