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* Tribune…
Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart urged Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Wednesday to extend the state’s eviction moratorium that’s been in place during the coronavirus pandemic, citing concerns that households need more time to catch up with rent while assistance fund applications are pending.
In a letter to Pritzker and Cook County Chief Judge Timothy Evans, Dart urged the current Saturday expiration date be postponed until all city and county rent relief grants are dispersed.
“Like you, I have been tremendously concerned about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, not just on the health and safety of residents, but on the economic future of the entire community,” Dart wrote. “Obviously, it would be incredibly harmful to proceed with evictions when these funds are on their way to rescue so many tenants and landlords.”
Dart, whose office is in charge of enforcing evictions in Cook County, said while the current pause in evictions has helped, struggling renters remain anxious that the looming deadline on the moratorium is too soon. He wrote that waiting until the money is paid out will stop hundreds of thousands of Cook County residents from being pushed out of their apartments.
* I asked the governor’s office for a response. Here’s Jordan Abudayyeh…
The moratorium will be extended at the end of this disaster proclamation.
…Adding… Press release…
Many families are suffering a COVID-related loss of income but so are many of the people who provide them with their homes. In this COVID era, the cost of providing housing has increased while rental income has declined due to the inability of many tenants to pay their rent.
Michael Glasser, president of the Neighborhood Building Owners Alliance (NBOA), said, “Chicago’s housing market is fragile right now, and housing providers need support. In order for tenants to be secure, housing needs to be stable and we need the federal government to increase relief for struggling renters and housing providers working to keep people in their homes.”
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Aug 20, 20 @ 12:39 pm
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Thank god. While the time-limited rental assistance the state is providing is great, it is just a drop in the bucket compared to the need.
Comment by Montrose Thursday, Aug 20, 20 @ 12:45 pm
Tom Dart has a very difficult job.
Comment by Candy Dogood Thursday, Aug 20, 20 @ 1:06 pm
Good for the renters - bad for the owners/investors and the neighborhood. Properties that would otherwise be profitable which would be maintained and perhaps renovated will now likely be headed to foreclosure auction.
Comment by Donnie Elgin Thursday, Aug 20, 20 @ 1:11 pm
“Good for the renters - bad for the owners/investors and the neighborhood.”
How would additional homeless people be good for the neighborhood?
– MrJM
Comment by @misterjayem Thursday, Aug 20, 20 @ 1:19 pm
//Good for the renters - bad for the owners/investors and the neighborhood.//
Everybody has to take a bite.
Comment by dan l Thursday, Aug 20, 20 @ 1:19 pm
“How would additional homeless people be good for the neighborhood”
Lower property tax collections and foreclosures are also not good for the neighborhood. There’s only so long you can push this off until collateral consequences occur.
Comment by 1st Ward Thursday, Aug 20, 20 @ 1:23 pm
This is ridiculous. I have a tenant that is working, collecting unemployment and has caused over 15k in property damage to my neighbor’s units that now I am responsible for. I’ve made every good faith effort to work with her despite losing my job, but all I get in response since April is “let me talk to my lawyer.” Now at the end of the month, I am supposed to be homeless while paying someone else’s living expenses while they send me screenprints late at night of renter’s protection rights so I cannot sleep? This has been a nightmare for over 5 months now. It needs to stop. There are definitely people like my tenant taking advantage of this situation.
Comment by Vinnie Thursday, Aug 20, 20 @ 1:49 pm
“Everybody has to take a bite.”
I can think of lots of people in Illinois who have not had to “take a bite.” Can’t you?
Comment by Count Floyd Thursday, Aug 20, 20 @ 1:55 pm
There are a-lot of landlords that depend on the rent checks to pay the mortgage, property taxes, Insurance, common utilities, lawn care, snow removal, water, garbage hauled, repairs. Is the State and Federal Government going to pay for there expenses?
Comment by Frumpy White Guy Thursday, Aug 20, 20 @ 1:58 pm
==and has caused over 15k in property damage to my neighbor’s units that now I am responsible for==
Not understanding your story. How are you responsible for damage to multiple units that don’t belong to you? Subletter? Child?
Well in any case since she is working (and collecting unemployment?)she has money so you can take her to court for damages to the units .
Comment by Muddy trail Thursday, Aug 20, 20 @ 1:59 pm
This is totally ridiculous to extend this order. Owners of properties are not being paid which means we cannot pay our own bills. Owners such as I that need to sell properties cannot sell. Did you know that if you even have someone that has stayed with a relative, never paid rent or any utilities, the relative dies, the “squatter” has rights? Totally irresponsible of our Gov and Illinois. What about our rights?
Comment by Becky J Thursday, Aug 20, 20 @ 2:00 pm
== There are a-lot of landlords that depend on the rent checks to pay the mortgage, ==
Yes, and the eviction moratorium would apply to the landlords as well.
Comment by Sling Thursday, Aug 20, 20 @ 2:04 pm
“Yes, and the eviction moratorium would apply to the landlords as well.”
Not following your logic on this one. There’s a difference between eviction and foreclosure. If the landlord is reliant on rent payments to pay the mortgage said landlord can still be foreclosed on. Foreclosure protections are only for FHA backed loans not conventional. Most Banks (mainly big ones) are ok with forbearance at this time but i’d be curious if this is only for primary homes not secondary or rental properties.
Comment by 1st Ward Thursday, Aug 20, 20 @ 2:17 pm
==Owners such as I that need to sell properties cannot sell.==
Not entirely true. You can sell your property if the buyer is looking for a rental property. If the buyer is looking at your rental property with the intension of living in it, and your tenant won’t leave, yes eviction would be a problem. So you need to find a buyer that will want what you have.
== Did you know that if you even have someone that has stayed with a relative, never paid rent or any utilities, the relative dies, the “squatter” has rights? ==
I’m not sure what you’re talking about has anything to do with this present eviction moratorium. Assuming the relative to your tenant was there and you knew about her and the tenant made all the rent payments in her relative’s behalf, yes she would have rights.
It’s bad to not have money to pay the bills. But eviction is a last step measure anyway. If you have a decent tenant that made a good faith effort to pay you and had paid you up until he lost his job, working with that person will benefit you better in the long run.
Comment by Mr. Green Genes Thursday, Aug 20, 20 @ 2:20 pm
== There’s a difference between eviction and foreclosure. If the landlord is reliant on rent payments to pay the mortgage said landlord can still be foreclosed on.==
If the bank owns the property the person who formally owned the property can’t be evicted.
Comment by Sling Thursday, Aug 20, 20 @ 2:27 pm
The eviction moratorium is comprised of two parts: Prohibition on filing an eviction complaint in court; prohibition on Sheriff enforcing an eviction order. The former could and should be lifted.
Comment by Mr. D Thursday, Aug 20, 20 @ 2:27 pm
== You can sell your property if the buyer is looking for a rental property. If the buyer is looking at your rental property with the intension of living in it, and your tenant won’t leave, yes eviction would be a problem. So you need to find a buyer that will want what you have.==
What sane person would be looking to buy a rental property right now that would have tenants who haven’t paid their rent, and who they will be unlikely to evict for at least 6 months (given a likely huge court backlog)?
The housing market is one of the few areas of the economy holding on. If that collapses, there won’t be a real recovery for years.
Comment by fs Thursday, Aug 20, 20 @ 2:28 pm
If the official government policy is that everyone should get free rent, then the government should pay for that.
Comment by Just Me 2 Thursday, Aug 20, 20 @ 2:32 pm
“If the bank owns the property the person who formally owned the property can’t be evicted.”
Assuming you meant formerly*. They still lost the property and will be evicted once the moratorium isn’t extended. I’m not sure Bank foreclosure instead of foreclosure plus eviction is much a consolation prize.
Comment by 1st Ward Thursday, Aug 20, 20 @ 2:39 pm
Other states have amended their moratoria against evictions, limiting the eviction stay to Covid related nonpayment of rent. If the tenant has violated other covenants or the lease has elapsed, the landlord may proceed.
Comment by Will Rez Thursday, Aug 20, 20 @ 2:45 pm
==you need to find a buyer that will want what you have==
That easy, huh? You first.
Comment by City Zen Thursday, Aug 20, 20 @ 2:46 pm
How long is he extending it, and when will this be announced?
Comment by PB Thursday, Aug 20, 20 @ 2:47 pm
Not all landlords are wealthy or large corporations.
I feel for the mom and pop style landlords that counted on a small rental holding to provide income in retirement, or those that depend on the revenue to pay their personal bills. A close friend owns four rental properties. none of them multi-unit properties. If his tenants quit paying he will be hard pressed to make up the difference. Even if he does not lose the properties he will incur significant debt.
I understand the problems faced by some renters, but there has to be a better way.
Comment by JS Mill Thursday, Aug 20, 20 @ 2:49 pm
== What sane person would be looking to buy a rental property right now that would have tenants who haven’t paid their rent, and who they will be unlikely to evict for at least 6 months (given a likely huge court backlog)?==
Lol. Not much of a capitalist are you? It depends on where the property is and what repairs need to be made. A good building with no need for repairs in a place that gets high rents can generate income for fifty years. And a smart buyer could take into account that he might take a financial hit initially and bid accordingly. Maybe split the risk with the seller. It’s not like the eviction moratorium will last forever.
Capitalists take these risks all the time, a home in a neighborhood that maybe will gentrify, a fixer upper, etc.
Comment by Mr. Green Genes Thursday, Aug 20, 20 @ 2:51 pm
== Lol. Not much of a capitalist are you? It depends on where the property is and what repairs need to be made. A good building with no need for repairs in a place that gets high rents can generate income for fifty years. And a smart buyer could take into account that he might take a financial hit initially and bid accordingly. Maybe split the risk with the seller. It’s not like the eviction moratorium will last forever.
Capitalists take these risks all the time, a home in a neighborhood that maybe will gentrify, a fixer upper, etc.==
Written as if from a person who has no clue about owning a rental property. Or “capitalism”. Nobody is going to gleefully jump into a property they will see zero return on for close to a year (optimistic), especially when that property will be up for auction after the bank forecloses on it in a handful of months.
When foreclosures spike, caused in part by the structure of this moratorium, we’re all going to feel it. Landlords, tenants, and anyone wanting to get a mortgage a year from now.
Comment by fs Thursday, Aug 20, 20 @ 2:58 pm
This is insanity. There will be a foreclosure crisis with lots of boarded up homes and apartments soon. An eviction moratorium just screws over small property owners. It needs to be lifted ASAP as it is in the vast majority of the country (including MI, and WI) where there has been no real affect. All this is doing is letting the worst people get away with stealing thousands with impunity
Comment by Sal Thursday, Aug 20, 20 @ 3:22 pm
== You first.==
Me first what? I don’t own the property.
== That easy==
I was thinking more along the lines of doable, easy would depend on where the property was, you know location, location, location.
If you got something to sell you sell it to the person who wants to buy, whether it’s tires, or cupcakes or apartment buildings. Same as it ever was.
Comment by Mr. Green Genes Thursday, Aug 20, 20 @ 3:34 pm
== Written as if from a person who has no clue about owning a rental property. Or “capitalism”. ==
Have been both for a long time. But I have “no clue.” You’re so kind. Lol.
Comment by Mr. Green Genes Thursday, Aug 20, 20 @ 3:36 pm
If landlords can evict, who exactly are they going to replace their current tenants with? Close to a third of the country is out of work, that’s the reason for the moratorium. We’ll go from units occupied by people who can’t pay to empty units and thousands homeless. Doesn’t sound like an improvement to me.
Comment by Actual Red Thursday, Aug 20, 20 @ 3:38 pm
I am first time home buyer and I am currently still homeless because they stop the eviction enforcement. I invested all my savings into buying this building and they tenants knew the building was being sold. I closed in November of 2019 and they had 30 days moved they change there mind and they never paid me rent. The judge issued a eviction order on March 3rd,2020 long with three months of back rent. So I was just waiting on the sheriff because they are refusing to moved. They haven’t paid rent going on year in November. They have cause damage to my property during this pandemic. My five year old didn’t finish school because we was living out of my car. My child is asthmatic. I have reach out to every news outlet for help and I still can not get no help. I need for the eviction to be lifted so me and my child can live in our home.
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Aug 20, 20 @ 3:39 pm
Mr. Green - your solution that the small business owner can simply sell their life’s work for a fraction of its real value is pretty disturbing. How would you like for the Governor to stop by your home, take your prized and irreplaceable possessions, and then say, “You can afford it.”?
If J.B. is going to give away free housing he should pay for it.
Comment by Just Me 2 Thursday, Aug 20, 20 @ 3:43 pm
- - Assuming you meant formerly. - -
Yes thank you.
- - I’m not sure Bank foreclosure instead of foreclosure plus eviction is much a consolation prize.- -
Sleeping in a warm house beats sleeping outside in the snow any day. It takes an average of 673 days to get foreclosed on and there are preforclosure processes where the borrower can get the property back, so who knows what will happen in almost two years. If someone’s getting foreclosed on now that means they were delinquent almost two years ago.
Comment by Sling Thursday, Aug 20, 20 @ 3:48 pm
//If landlords can evict, who exactly are they going to replace their current tenants with? Close to a third of the country is out of work, that’s the reason for the moratorium. We’ll go from units occupied by people who can’t pay to empty units and thousands homeless. Doesn’t sound like an improvement to me.//
^^^^This.
Comment by dan l Thursday, Aug 20, 20 @ 3:51 pm
//If J.B. is going to give away free housing he should pay for it.//
I’m not sure that’s what he’s doing.
Comment by dan l Thursday, Aug 20, 20 @ 3:52 pm
*Close to a third of the country is out of work*
10% actually. At the very least the tenant should have to prove they have been directly impacted by Covid to be spared eviction.
Comment by MIS Thursday, Aug 20, 20 @ 3:57 pm
== Mr. Green - your solution that the small business owner can simply sell their life’s work for a fraction of its real value is pretty disturbing.==
Wow just stop with the hyperbole. Everyone who has stock or a building or anything of value already understands that the market for that thing goes up and down. Sometimes you buy a stock and it’s valued for more, sometimes it’s valued for less. This isn’t something I personally have control over. I’m not some sort of market god.
If the market is bad you hold or you sell for less. If the market is good you sell for more. Same as it always was.
Comment by Mr. Green Genes Thursday, Aug 20, 20 @ 3:58 pm
“If landlords can evict, who exactly are they going to replace their current tenants with?”
Lower the rent to attract a new tenant is better than getting $0 (supply and demand). Plenty of people still have jobs and are moving (I moved in July; still employed).
Also, if the landlord has kids maybe have them live there? The landlord could sell the property as well. Much easier to do if there’s no tenant these days. The point is the landlord owns the building this has been going on for 5 months and collateral damage is quickly occurring. Why is the pandemic now the landlords fault? The short-termism of these orders will create severe long-term problems for all Illinoisans.
Comment by 1st Ward Thursday, Aug 20, 20 @ 4:09 pm
As a small time landlord, stop weeping for the landlords. If you can’t float your properties for a while you’re in over your head, this is a pandemic and we shouldn’t be kicking people to the street to appease the relatively few of us fortunate enough to own income generating property.
Comment by Excitable Boy Thursday, Aug 20, 20 @ 4:19 pm
Pretty sure the attorney general, on the governor’s behalf, told a judge, in court, that the moratorium was meant to be a measure to prevent unnecessary evictions until a rental assistance program could be rolled out.
That seems now like it was a bit untruthful. And untruth, when said to a judge, seems a bit … problematic … to me, anyway.
Comment by JB13 Thursday, Aug 20, 20 @ 5:32 pm
- And untruth, when said to a judge, seems a bit … problematic -
Yeah, I bet you got ‘em there, Matlock. Feds will probably be waking Kwame up tomorrow.
Comment by Excitable Boy Thursday, Aug 20, 20 @ 7:21 pm
When pensions are at risk, the contracts clause is absolute. When rental payments are at risk, don’t enforce the contracts.
Not a landlord now. When I was, it would have been hard to carry two mortgages.
Comment by Last Bull Moose Thursday, Aug 20, 20 @ 8:37 pm
== When pensions are at risk, the contracts clause is absolute. When rental payments are at risk, don’t enforce the contracts.==
Eviction doesn’t enforce the contract.
It just gives the owner access to the unit so hopefully he can get a better tenant. The tenant is still obligated to pay the rents per the lease and if the owner wanted to take the tenant to court the owner would probably prevail because of the contract clause you mentioned.
Whether it would be worth the owner’s while is another thing. If the eviction is a condo owner who didn’t pay association fees or a building owner there could be assets to pay the contract. If the eviction is a tenant with no assets it isn’t worth the trouble.
Comment by 17% Solution Friday, Aug 21, 20 @ 5:57 am
Or I should have said in place of eviction, the person in default.
Since there is a moratorium.
Comment by 17% Solution Friday, Aug 21, 20 @ 6:06 am
Its a crime to me that my apartments in Steger,Il 60475 Is denying its tenats IDHAS relief during these hardening times. Please let the moratorium be extended.
Comment by Trabion J Friday, Aug 21, 20 @ 1:52 pm
Chicago Tribune: “Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart urged Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Wednesday to extend the state’s eviction moratorium that’s been in place during the coronavirus pandemic, citing concerns that households need more time to catch up with rent while assistance fund applications are pending.”
So the renters will be paid with rental assistance which will go to the landlord.
Comment by Fly like an eagle Friday, Aug 21, 20 @ 2:13 pm