Potential eviction crisis looms as local suspended court proceedings set to resume

Fox4KC ^ | Apr 29, 2020 | Megan Dillard

[nickcarraway]

The biggest expense for most families is housing, something made more difficult for those out of work during COVID-19.

Eviction court proceedings were temporarily suspended in Jackson County and in Kansas, but they’ll resume Friday.

SNIP

“I don’t think we’re going to see a rush to the courthouse based on rent,” he said. “In the private area, I think those landlords are thinking the same thing, (which) is it’s better to keep that family here in their housing and find a way to pay the difference over time than evict that family and all the costs that go with that.”

[drop 50 and fire for effect]

I think that a lot of landlords are going to think twice before starting eviction proceedings. It will be very situational.

As a former landlord, I would have two questions I would need to answer before starting eviction proceedings.

1) Cost, is it worth the time and expense? Is it a good tenant caught up in the lousy economy, or is it a deadbeat or destructive tenant who needs to go.

2) If you do kick out your tenant, can you even get a replacement?

An empty house/apartment generates zero income, and partial rent is better than none. If eating a couple of months rent means getting a decent tenant back on their feet, that would be worth it. But deadbeats or destructive tenants need to go.

[nickcarraway]

That sounds smart.

[BookmanTheJanitor]

Most of our tenants paid April’s rent (93%). We will work a pay schedule with the remaining tenants. There are 2 bad (acting) tenants that I hope do not pay as a vacant apartment would be better than them in it (even if they paid). We will see what May bring as I expect a higher percentage to not be paying.