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\n\nAn example of rent strike posters that have popped up around the Olympia area<\/figcaption>\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\nBY ROLF BOONE<\/strong> (4-26-20) 360-754-5403, @ROLF_BOONE<\/strong>\n\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\nRBOONE@THEOLYMPIAN.COM<\/a><\/em>\n\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\nOlympia, WA<\/strong> — Thurston County property managers say most tenants paid their rent on April 1, the date falling only a couple of weeks after the governor ordered schools and businesses to close to combat the novel coronavirus.\n\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\nBut May 1 is likely to look a lot different, they say.\n\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\nThe economy has been further slowed by the virus, jobless claims have soared, and although jobless benefits have been enhanced and stimulus checks are arriving, average rents in the county still hover around $1,200 \u2014 the amount of the largest stimulus checks.\n\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\nSome local tenants are calling for a rent strike, wanting to call attention to the economic burden placed on renters during the pandemic.\n\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s looking a lot worse,\u201d<\/strong> said Andrew Barkis, a Republican state Representative and the longtime owner of Olympia-based Hometown Property Management, a business that manages 1,100 single-family residences in the county for an array of owners and their renters.\n\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\nAbout 90 percent of tenants paid their rent on April 1, but come May 1, Barkis expects that to fall to 60 percent to 70 percent.\n\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\n\u201cPeople are going to have a tougher time,\u201d he said, adding that he hopes tenants are receiving jobless benefits and a stimulus check. \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of uncertainty.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\nHOMES FIRST<\/strong>\n\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\nThat uncertainty extends to the nonprofit sector as well, such as Lacey-based Homes First, a provider and property manager of affordable housing in the area. It works with 277 tenants spread among 46 properties.\n\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\nChief Executive Trudy Soucoup said all but two tenants paid their rent on April 1, but come May 1, she expects rental income to drop as much as
20 percent.\n\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\nShe said those who can\u2019t pay rent will not face any consequences, but she does expect tenants to eventually pay, or to seek assistance to pay rent.\n\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\n\u201cWe will continue to do the things we do,\u201d she said, which includes helping tenants with food and child care, \u201cbut tenants need to do the things they need to do.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\nRental income helps the nonprofit carry on with its mission, she said. Faced with a drop in income, the nonprofit lined up for a federal loan through the Small Business Administration called the \u201cpaycheck protection program.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\nHomes First secured a $95,100 loan through the program, which converts to a grant if 75 percent of the money is used for payroll over the next eight weeks. That\u2019s the plan to retain eight staff members, she said.\n\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\nThat money will help the nonprofit through the end of October. However, they also need to continue to raise funds through donations, and that has become more challenging, she said.\n\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\n\u2018THERE HAS TO BE A BALANCE\u2019<\/strong>\n\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\nA small business like Hometown Property Management could seek a loan as well, but Barkis is not aware of a program to specifically help landlords themselves. He also was disappointed in Gov. Jay Inslee\u2019s recent extension of an eviction moratorium<\/a> through June 4.\n\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\n\u201cPeople have lost their livelihoods through no fault of their own and we must continue to take steps to ensure they don\u2019t also lose the roofs over their heads,\u201d Inslee said in a written statement at the time.\n\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\nUnder the latest moratorium, landlords are not able to raise rents or charge late fees, Barkis said.\n\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\nBarkis isn\u2019t seeking to add to the hardships of tenants, he said. He has worked with them on payment plans, breaking up rent payments and extending time frames, but, he asks, what about help for landlords? Many of them have to pay mortgages on their rental properties.\n\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\n\u201cThere has to be a balance,\u201d he said.\n\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\nSome of the home owners that Hometown Property Management works with are investors, some are home owners who held onto their first home to rent, and some are members of the military who have been transferred out of the area but who want to return at a later date. In the meantime, they are working with Hometown to rent their property, he said.\n\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\nThere is a state landlord mitigation program, in which landlords can tap funds for certain rental situations, but in its current configuration he doesn\u2019t think it could be used during the crisis.\n\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\nOr could it? \u201cThere is a program and a framework for the crisis,\u201d he said.\n\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\nTENANTS STRIKE BACK<\/strong>\n\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\nMeanwhile, Brian Wolcott, a student at The Evergreen State College is on strike \u2014 rent strike, that is.\n\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\nHe rents a house with three other roommates for about $1,500 a month. Rent wasn\u2019t paid in April, and likely won\u2019t be paid in May, but he said they are in contact with the property owner about their decision.\n\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\nFor Wolcott, it\u2019s both political and practical: he wants to stand in solidarity with those who can\u2019t pay rent, but work \u2014 such as the farm work, yard work and other odd jobs that he used to do \u2014 also has dried up.\n\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\nWolcott also acknowledged that he could probably find work, but then he wonders if he has his priorities straight, especially if he\u2019s out interacting with people, possibly exposing others to the virus or being exposed himself. Rather than being guided by economic decisions, he\u2019d rather follow the guidelines of health care professionals and scientists.\n\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\nThe economic burden placed on renters needs to be pushed up the ladder, he said.\n\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\n\u201cFinancial institutions have the ability to weather this stuff, but it\u2019s a real push for everyday people,\u201d Wolcott said.\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
BY ROLF BOONE (4-26-20) 360-754-5403, @ROLF_BOONE RBOONE@THEOLYMPIAN.COM Olympia, WA — Thurston County property managers say most tenants paid their rent on April 1, the date falling only a couple of weeks after the governor ordered schools and businesses to close … Continue reading