By Tim Ballering, RPA Board Member

In this apparent zero-sum game, who is the ultimate loser? In the short term, the property owner is out thousands of dollars in rent, and the renter has lived for free a while longer; a bit further down the road, the renter now has a large eviction on their record, if not sealed.

But the ultimate losers are all similarly situated renters who pay their rent and behave okay towards the property and the neighbors. Owners who suffer large losses respond. They sell out to the big guys, who have stronger eviction criteria. They sell out to owner-occupants. They change their screening criteria. They change their eviction trigger point. They change their deposit requirements. They raise rents to offset losses.

In the end, RtC has protected the tree (a nonperforming renter) at the expense of the forest (the 95% of lower-income renters who perform as they should). And the protected tree… gets chopped down while looking for future housing due to their eviction record.

Zero winners here.