News

Statement on the Supreme Court's Ruling Striking Down the CDC's Eviction Moratorium

The following statement can be attributed to Patrick Algyer, executive director for the Northern Virginia Apartment Association (NVAA):

“In light of the Supreme Court’s ruling striking down the CDC’s eviction moratorium, we know concerns are running high about what local impact this may have. While landlords are grateful to have their contractual and constitutional rights restored, they never look forward to having to file for or go through with, an eviction. It is important to understand that eviction is always a last resort for a landlord. On a purely human level, no one wants to remove someone from their home, especially during such difficult times. Additionally, an eviction frequently results in a landlord writing off a large amount of back rent as uncollectible, plus it triggers other costs including legal/court fees, and expenditures around advertising and preparing to fill a vacant apartment. 

Locally, protections still exist for tenants even with the removal of the CDC’s eviction moratorium. Virginia still has its statewide eviction moratorium in place through the end of September. Regardless, landlords prefer to work through the state’s Rental Relief Program as opposed to initiating an eviction. The program has been essential in helping tenants cover back rent owed, however, landlords are legally responsible for applying on behalf of their tenant and it is a cumbersome and protracted process that could be easier to navigate.

People often assume that landlords are always large corporations when in fact, individual landlords - or mom-and-pop shops - own about 40% of all rental properties—with about one-third that are for low/moderate-income tenants. Many of these smaller landlords have been forced between a rock and a hard place, with little recourse when a tenant doesn’t pay rent - and in some cases have run into issues where tenants don’t comply with the landlord’s mandatory application for rental assistance, further complicating the process. Meanwhile, landlords’ expenses such as mortgages, taxes, utilities, and repair bills have not abated.”

For some additional context, here is a quick snapshot of what Northern Virginia landlords are seeing and doing:

• Vacancy rates have stabilized - decreasing to the 4-6% range (slightly higher in high rises), down from highs of 15-25% early this year. In a pre-pandemic world, 2-3% was considered typical.
• The amount that delinquent tenants currently owe is down to roughly $2,000 on average, compared to $5-10,000 at the beginning of the year - thanks largely to Virginia’s rent relief program.
• Landlords are working to help tenants stay in place wherever possible, setting up payment plans for them if they are struggling or helping them apply/applying on their behalf for rent relief
• The primary reason for ongoing delinquent rent from tenants right now is due to delays in the rent relief system