The Path To Opening Back Up For Your Rentals
The month of May in Indianapolis is ususally the most special month of the year! It is Indy 500 month and involves an entire month of festivities.
Its not going to be the same this year. The race is tentatively scheduled for late August and all the festivities are cancelled. As is with everything, a very very strange time.
A lot of speculation on how we open everything back up again has been put on hold here in Central Indiana. Indianapolis, specifically, has extended its "Stay-at-Home" order until May 15. While not confirmed yet, this means eviction hearings we were hoping to occur in early May are now postponed again. Indiana, statewide with the exception of Marion, Lake (Chicago) and Cass counties is moving forward with a phased in opening back up plan. It involves five phases and Indianapolis will begin Phase 2, if all goes well, on May 15.
When courts open back up is not known but we also are waiting to hear what happens with the eviction moratorium that expires May 1. If your property is in Indianapolis then it seems unlikely we will have hearings until after mid-May.. Hoping I am wrong.
Evictions and the CARES Act
One little gem that was stashed into the CARES Act is a different eviction moratorium.
As for new evictions, the CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) Act which was signed into law on March 27 has some very specific provisions in it that we need to follow with regards to new eviction filings. These provisions apply to rental properties that participate in programs under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), the rural housing voucher program, or that have a federally backed mortgage loan. If a property falls under any of those categories, you cannot file any new eviction for 120 days after the CARES Act was implemented plus you have to send a 30-day Pay or Quit notice first. So, essentially you cannot send the Pay or Quit until July 27, then you can file 30 days afterwards.
Obviously this is a huge delay and our attorney is insisting we confirm status on any properties we forward for eviction filings. Since we actually have to follow this before posting a Pay or Quit notice, we are requesting all owners to let us know if they have a federally backed mortgage loan (or any of the other exclusions) on the property we manage. There is nothing we can do though but make certain we do not violate the federal law.
This almost certainly means we need to increase negotiations with any non-paying tenant to receive any funds possible if the property is protected by the CARES Act.
Rental Applications Have A Strong Month!
Despite all the COVID concerns we are experienced a strong month for applications. We have not reduced our normal standards for approval and had to turn away several people who wanted to use unemployment (both state and the federal CARES temporary program) to be qualified.
Spring has Sprung and so has the Grass
As mentioned two weeks ago, if you have a vacant property or a multi-family (3 or more units) we have your property covered on the cutting list. Yards are cut every two weeks per local county requirements. Charges will start to show up on ledgers very soon.
With grass growing, and warmer weather, Indianapolis did decide to re-open golf courses. Max is our resident golfer and he would love to spend some time with you on the links when it is safe to travel again!
Your WILMOTH Team believes an occupied rental is the best situation and will find creative ways to collect your rent on any schedule possible.
Be kind to one another, stay safe, be healthy and STAY AT HOME so we can be together soon! | 
