We were sent immediately to mediation and worked out an agreement. I paid this month’s rent in cash ($900) and can stay until 9/30, at midnight. As far as I can tell, there will be no record of eviction, as the landlord will not have to get the Sheriff out to post a 48 hour notice to vacate. After that, they would have had to schedule the actual eviction, where the landlord has to move things out of my house and onto the street. I would not be able to leave my house: of course, I would want to be here to be sure things weren't damaged. The landlord can be fined for leaving abandoned property unattended. This arrangement is in place to prevent violent confrontations, and a County Deputy must attend. The mediator assured the landlord that it would take several more weeks, after the 48 hour notice, to have the sheriff here for the actual move-out, because they are so busy evicting people for non-payment of rent.
While there, we watched two cases where one 'defendent' owes over $4K, another over $3K. They both entered into agreements with the landlords to pay current rents on time and make payments on the amount owed. One wept in her man’s arms after standing in front of the judge.
In my opinion, the sickest part of all this legal stuff is that the tenant is NOT notified of the date/ time that the deputy sheriff arrives with the landlord to move belongings onto the curb. They are “trying to diminish the potential for an explosive situation.” Can you imagine a single mother or an elder having to go through this because they can’t pay the rent? And rents went up $200 – 300 after the flood. Landlords are evicting for any reason, or at the end of a lease, so they can all cash in on the good times.
I’m more committed than ever to shining light on all this sickness, in whatever ways that I can. It's just more of the general sickness in our culture, to value money over people.
Now, back to schoolwork:
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