Agenda Item
7. SUBSTITUTE ORDINANCE 12-2021 - AN ORDINANCE to take effect immediately provided it receives the vote of at least two thirds of the members of Council, or otherwise to take effect at the earliest period allowed by law, to expand rental rights within the City of Lakewood allowing renters who tender their full rent plus any additional late fees and court costs, prior to an eviction hearing to avoid eviction for late payment of rent and setting reasonable late fees that a landlord may charge a tenant. (1st read and referred to HPD 2/16/21; 2nd reading 3/1/21)
Hi, my name is Katie. I'm a landlord and resident of Lakewood. I live on Gladys Ave, near Lakewood Park. I support this legislation because people deserve to stay in their homes if they can come up with the money. Covid is impacting all of us, and it's especially hard for people who have to find a new job or need time to figure out how they can pay their bills. Covid has exposed problems that have existed for a long time, and this is an opportunity to keep people from homelessness and to keep our community stable. It seems like legislation that is a no brainer and should extend indefinitely beyond the emergency order
Pay to Stay seems like a reasonable and fair defense for Lakewood to guarantee to their renters. While most landlords would work with someone if they're late and come up with the money, that doesn't happen all of the time and this ordinance will help people stuck in a vulnerable situation know that they have a right to stay, and that their landlord can't evict them if they come up with the money. At the end of the day, people stay stable in their home and landlords get their rent.
My name is Brenda and I’ve been a Lakewood resident for over 7 years. I wanted to submit a public comment because I think this legislation sounds like something that should already exist. It’s the humane thing to do, to keep people in their apartment if they pay their rent. I’ve experienced getting kicked out of an apartment (12002 Lake Ave) when a new buyer came in and it forced all of us who couldn’t afford it to move out. That was a really hard experience to go through and I know what it’s like to not know where you’re going to live next. This ordinance should be passed permanently.
My name is Kahrin Spear and I live Lakewood, OH. It's no surprise that the pandemic has significantly disadvantaged many homeowners/tenants. So many are still struggling to make ends meet despite all the aid available and it is our job to take care of our struggling neighbors as best we can. In this way, I am asking that you support this legislation. I believe having a secure, safe place to rest our heads is a human right and should not be viewed as a privilege. Pay to Stay is a reasonable and fair defense for Lakewood to guarantee to their renters. While some landlords work with tenants struggling to pay rent, not all are gracious. This ordinance will help vulnerable people feel relief knowing they have a right to stay, and that their landlord can't evict them if they come up with the money. I am pleading for your empathy and compassion. Time and time again I hear folks say the best aspect of our Lakewood neighborhood is the overall sense of community. If we can't extend this level of support and understanding to our community during this incredibly challenging time, when can we?
Our names are Andrée and Russell. We own a 2 family on Mars. Covid is impacting all of us, and it's especially hard for people who have to find a new job or need time to figure out how they can pay their bills. We need to work together as a community to make this an actual community. That means supporting our most vulnerable members with this Pay to Stay legislation. We talked to our tenants and let them know if they couldn't pay we'd work with them but we are not all landlords. We have already started seeing people's belongings at the curb and we personally don't want to see a repeat of the 2008 Housing crisis. We believe Pay to Stay would support the renters and the landlords while keeping our fantastic community stable. Thank you for your time, Sincerely, Andree and Russell Sundberg Mars Ave. Lakewood.
My name is Ray Flanagan and I live on Cranford Ave. If people are late but make an effort to come up with the money, evicting them seems harsh to me. The pandemic has left many people out of work, disillusioned, confused, and uncertain. The more understanding we are of eachother in hard times, the easier we will understand eachother in better times.
My name is Daniel Socha and I live at 1310 Nicholson Avenue in Lakewood. I support this legislation because I believe that no one deserves to lose their home if they cannot afford to pay rent during this time. Many of my friends and neighbors are struggling to pay after having been laid off or fired during the pandemic. Many of these people have families and/or help support loved ones. I worry that by not protecting people from eviction, our community could suffer in a very material way. Although I believe that some landlords are kind-hearted, I know that there are other individuals that will put their financial interest ahead of our neighborhoods. Although I acknowledge that the pandemic might be hard on certain landlords, I do not believe this is true for the majority of them. For example, the housing market has done very well over the past year and homes have appreciated in value. By so many metrics, the majority of hardships from the pandemic are felt by the working people, by the artists, and by the families that make our community a bright and wonderful place to live. I urge you to support this ordinance. I urge you to stand by your constituents and stand up for what's right.
Sincerely and respectfully,
Daniel Socha