A us-regions landlord says he is out $24,000 in unpaid rent from tenants, while one renter bought three boats over the course of the eviction moratorium just as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced a new ban that will last until Oct. 3.
Buddy Shoup, who owns 35 properties across the state, said that he has been forced to maintain the properties and hemorrhage costs while the federal government slowly dribbles out rental assistance, of which only 7% has been doled out to renters in need.
“[The money] was used, they went and bought brand new boats, but I mean, you know in a time of crisis like what we’ve been through, you’re evidently getting money from somewhere, but it’s not getting to me,” said Shoup.
Those very same tenants allegedly contacted Shoup when their air-conditioning failed in the middle of the summer.
Shoup was legally required to make the $4,500 repair on the residence but said he did not receive any money from the tenants or the government to cover the additional cost.
“It goes way beyond the loss of rental income, we’re still bound by county rules and laws,” added Shoup. “We have to maintain the property.”
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Shoup said that he oftentimes sends tenants who cannot pay rent to local programs, which are funded by city and county taxpayer dollars, in order to acquire some form of assistance.
Yet, when it comes to federal rental assistance, the North Carolina landlord said he hasn’t seen any indication that the money is reaching struggling renters.
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In June, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 to allow the CDC to continue its moratorium until July 31 and said that any future extensions would be in Congress’ hands.
But on Tuesday, the administration announced a new targeted eviction ban to replace the one that expired on Saturday. The president said he spoke with constitutional scholars and even conceded that “the bulk of the constitutional scholars say it’s not likely to pass constitutional muster.”
Officials at the CDC drafted a new eviction moratorium aimed at protecting tenants in counties with “substantial and high levels of community transmission” of COVID-19, affecting roughly 90% of the U.S. population.
Fox News’ Emma Colton contributed to this report.
