Mutually dependent - landlords and tenants in COVID
That every sector, and nearly everyone, is directly impacted by the COVID-19 crisis is obvious. There is a desire to DO something - anything! - to make things feel better, and fast. The gravity of the situation demands that we consider how our actions and choices will affect others in our community. The virus has laid bare our interdependence as few other events have. We can see that across our community we are a tightly woven fabric and one loose thread pulls on all the others. We are mutually dependent and our resilience depends on our capacity to act with the best interests of our community at heart.
Landlords and tenants are closely intertwined. In what will be a slow and challenging recovery, both landlords and tenants will be better served by ensuring that landlords can meet their financial obligations, and that tenants have access to safe and stable housing. Rash actions, like evictions, are counterproductive and do long term harm to the people who are most vulnerable. Let’s work together to build back the community we love. Our Op-Ed includes resources to help landlords and tenants achieve the best outcomes for both groups.