Tenants can’t be evicted in winter months

Flipper/Rehabber · Seattle, WA · Member since 2015 · 333 posts · 459 votes

Dateline Seattle. Kshama Sawant,

a Seattle City council member, is trying to make it a law that tenants can’t be evicted November through March - our winter months.

Has anyone heard of anything like this anywhere else in the known universe?

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Keith A.

Rental Property Investor · TX · Member since 2019 · 236 posts · 392 votes

@Jerry Lucker

My word I would never invest in these socialist run areas. Completely anti landlord. I just figure if the county is blue, then forget investing there. Red counties = quick evictions, no bs rent control and lower property taxes.

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Account Closed
Rental Property Investor · Torrance, CA · Member since 2016 · 724 posts · 1k+ votes
6y
@Jerry Lucker
I sold my Seattle property last year. I see the writing on the wall out here on the west coast. Enough is enough. Honestly, I feel sorry for tenants living in Seattle. They have no idea that these policies meant to help them, will only harm them in the long run.
3 Reply
Wesley W.
Rental Property Investor · The Vampire State · Member since 2013 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes
6y
I remember reading on BP a few years ago that parts of MA had something similar about an eviction stay during the winter months.
Of course, the whole state of NY now has an option for a 12 month eviction stay due to "tenant hardship" which includes personal responsibilities such as child care. So, sometimes - tenants can't be evicted during ANY season here in NYS.
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Marc Winter
Real Estate Broker · Northeast PA · Member since 2017 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes
6y
Pennsylvania L/T laws used to prevent evictions in winter or with snow on the ground or some such nonsense. They were amended in the 70's I believe, to allow landlords to evict any day of the year you can get a constable to be present.
DISCLAIMER: THE FOLLOWING IS JUST A RANT. PROCEED WITH CAUTION.
This kind of over-reaching 'for the good of the people' laws and regulations are a hypocritical load of crap. Why don't the council members build more homeless shelters, soup kitchens and provide a nice weekly allowance along with the food-stamps and other taxpayer-funded benefits? Because that DON'T WORK. That's being done now and for DECADES past and it's a total failure.  Never has worked, never will.
Giving a handout would be seen as much 'nicer and more humane' to someone in need rather than asking them to WORK and get PAID. Provide these people a job--almost any kind of job that they are physically and mentally able to do. Lift them up rather than chaining them down to a life of dependence.  (Don't throw stones--if someone is disabled, of course, that's a horse of a different manure.)
END OF DANGER RANTING ZONE.
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Michael J.
Rental Property Investor · Louisville, KY · Member since 2008 · 342 posts · 123 votes
6y
I would get with the local REIA and se if they are doing anything to fight this and then join efforts with them. You guys need to go to meetings and politely and respectfully do what you can to oppose it.
Of course it is a completely idiotic idea no one in their right mind would think is a legitimate law to Las but there are more than a few idiots in leadership positions but REIA can make a difference if they go about it the right way.
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Edgar Martinez
Architect · Hudson Valley, NY · Member since 2015 · 133 posts · 35 votes
6y
New York State recently updated its tenant/landlord laws. One of the updates includes a provision that a judge can delay an evict for (I believe) 6 months if the eviction will cause the evicted tenant extreme hardship. I can definitely see the very tenant friendly NYS considering something like a harsh winter being a cause for delay.
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Eric X.
Real Estate Agent · Naperville, IL · Member since 2014 · 196 posts · 130 votes
6y
15 degrees is the temp threshold for cook county/chicago. Sheriff won't evict if it is below that temperature. Also no evictions between Christmas and new years.
1 Reply
Ned J.Pro Member
Investor · Manteca, CA · Member since 2017 · 1k+ posts · 2k+ votes
6y
Spare me all the rants about "socialists"...... stop lumping every policy you don't agree with under the insult of being a "communist" or a "socialist" Want to debate the policy?....fine....all for it..... but grow up and stop throwing these stupid FOX new labels on everything you disagree with.....
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Jerry Lucker
OP
Flipper/Rehabber · Seattle, WA · Member since 2015 · 333 posts · 459 votes
6y
@Ned J.
It seems that telling someone to ‘grow up’ because you don’t agree with the category they suggest a certain mindset of people are grouped in is, well, childish. Unless you prefer a different term of course.
4 Reply
James Wise
Real Estate Broker · Cleveland Dayton Cincinnati Toledo Columbus & Akron, OH · Member since 2013 · 30k+ posts · 20k+ votes
6y
Originally posted by @Jerry Lucker:
Dateline Seattle. Kshama Sawant,
a Seattle City council member, is trying to make it a law that tenants can’t be evicted November through March - our winter months.
Has anyone heard of anything like this anywhere else in the known universe?

This is just another example of why it blows my mind when people say politics has nothing to do with real estate. Seattle is an ultra liberal city. Hell, there is a perfectly legal tent city of hundreds homeless people that moves to a new location every 90 days over there. You only see that type of policy in extremely left leaning areas.
4 Reply
Mark Allen Kenny
Investor · New York City, NY · Member since 2016 · 155 posts · 105 votes
6y
@Jerry Lucker This happens in Chicago where they slow down evictions during the winter months. I don't believe it's a law but the city drags out the process for sometimes even 6 months or more during the winter. (Which is a great reason not to own rental properties in Chicago).
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Ben Blecker
Member since 2018 · 7 posts · 5 votes
6y
I guess you’ll just have to ask for a six month rent deposit.
1 Reply
Account Closed
San Jose, CA · Member since 2015 · 4k+ posts · 3k+ votes
6y
I'm a moderate and I think rants about left-wing people all thinking the same way is insulting to at least half of the country. It's just not reasonable to think that that many people can't see through an unreasonable proposal.
So, deep breath. I really don't believe the vast majority of voters are stupid people who can't do simple math. For instance, if there is a housing shortage and new policies are put into place that make landlords sell their rentals or convert them to Airbnb rentals - the policy won't fix the problem.
I agree that this politician - is she a city council member? I forget - is showing herself to be so radical that her reelection could be jeopardized when the next election comes around.
If I was you, I'd start looking for her replacement. Sure, maybe you're a republican. But, maybe a smart strategy would be for your republican pals to look into supporting someone who could actually win against her - within her own party? Just sayin'. There are a lot of potential candidates out there who would love to run against an incumbent if they only had the money and support.
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Meir Greenblatt
Rental Property Investor · Houston TX / Tacoma WA. · Member since 2019 · 166 posts · 89 votes
6y
@Theresa Harris
Ohh it's not a big issue, you can just take a 6 month deposit just in case ;)
1 Reply
Theresa HarrisPro Member
Member since 2019 · 15k+ posts · 11k+ votes
6y
Originally posted by @Meir Greenblatt:
@Theresa Harris
Ohh it's not a big issue, you can just take a 6 month deposit just in case ;)

LOL!!
1 Reply
Meir Greenblatt
Rental Property Investor · Houston TX / Tacoma WA. · Member since 2019 · 166 posts · 89 votes
6y
Originally posted by @Keith A.:
@Jerry Lucker
My word I would never invest in these socialist run areas. Completely anti landlord. I just figure if the county is blue, then forget investing there. Red counties = quick evictions, no bs rent control and lower property taxes.

Houston is in a blue county, but there is no reason not to invest here.
If you do have more expenses on legal and vacancy then adjust your numbers in order to make it work, if you can't make the numbers work then maybe a different niche of RE is the way to go for the time being.
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Wesley W.
Rental Property Investor · The Vampire State · Member since 2013 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes
6y
Originally posted by @Ned J.:
Spare me all the rants about "socialists"...... stop lumping every policy you don't agree with under the insult of being a "communist" or a "socialist"

Want to debate the policy?....fine....all for it..... but grow up and stop throwing these stupid FOX new labels on everything you disagree with.....

These terms and ideas existed long before the cable news channels. It's not very difficult to see (for me, at least) how many of these left-leaning tenant laws subscribe to the ideas touted by socialism, which is an idea borne by those with a liberal mindset regarding society. These descriptive, non-judgmental terms surrounding public policies are only an "insult" to those that only get their information from cable news and social media.

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Brie SchmidtBusiness Member
Moderator
Real Estate Broker · Chicago, IL · Member since 2013 · 6k+ posts · 5k+ votes
6y
Originally posted by @Mark Allen Kenny:
@Jerry Lucker This happens in Chicago where they slow down evictions during the winter months. I don't believe it's a law but the city drags out the process for sometimes even 6 months or more during the winter. (Which is a great reason not to own rental properties in Chicago).

That is not true. The eviction process can be 6 months regardless of what season it is. If you have a writ the sheriff will not evict if it is below 15 degrees but if the next day is above 15 degrees they will
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Joshua Howaniec
Contractor · Indianapolis, IN · Member since 2016 · 267 posts · 144 votes
6y
@Jerry Lucker Chicago
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Dick RosenPro Member
Property Manager · Gilbert, AZ · Member since 2009 · 1k+ posts · 451 votes
6y
@Jerry Lucker I’ve read that there are a lot of people fighting this idiot politician. No, I’ve never heard of this anywhere else. Minnesota has laws about utilities being left on without payment in the winter but never heard of evictions not allowed.
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Brian Ploszay
Investor · Chicago, IL · Member since 2009 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
6y
Yes, in the City of Chicago. You can proceed with the legal actions, but the "sheriff" does not evict during a portion of the winter. I think it has always been like this, so landlords have to factor this into their cost of doing business.
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Timothy W.
Attorney · Raleigh, NC · Member since 2008 · 4k+ posts · 1k+ votes
6y
This is why I never bought in liberal states, lol. I just wish the liberals that trashed me on here would stop moving to conservative states after screwing up where they lived.
4 Reply
David Dachtera
Rental Property Investor · Rockford, IL · Member since 2014 · 4k+ posts · 2k+ votes
6y
Originally posted by @Brian Ploszay:
Yes, in the City of Chicago. You can proceed with the legal actions, but the "sheriff" does not evict during a portion of the winter. I think it has always been like this, so landlords have to factor this into their cost of doing business.

You may want to figure it into your tenant screening process.
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Daniel Sager
Rental Property Investor · Anchorage, AK · Member since 2019 · 39 posts · 13 votes
6y
@Michael Haas
I just purchased my first 4plex and this is (luckily) not true although I had heard it from nearly everyone for years. I looked up the Alaska landlord tenant act and it clearly states that the season has nothing to do with eviction.
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Jesse Daconta
Rental Property Investor · Newport News, VA · Member since 2018 · 264 posts · 130 votes
6y
Well... I suppose if it gets passed you'll just have to run it into your expenses moving forward ;)
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Michael HaasBusiness Member
Real Estate Agent · Redmond, 🌧️ Seattle Investor-Agent | 🤑 Helped 400+ Clients Invest in Real Estate | 🏘️ Owns 23 WA Rentals & Airbnbs | 🏗️ Built 5 DADU's | 📈 You Can Do It Too · Member since 2016 · 724 posts · 3k+ votes
6y
@Daniel Sager think it’s an urban legend? I’ve heard this from multiple Alaskans but never looked it up. We were in homer, not sure if it might be a County or city statue either.
Glad you don’t have to deal with that!
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