ELYRIA, Ohio — Nearly two dozens residents renting in the Colonial Oaks neighborhood in Elyria are concerned about late rent notices being taped to their front doors.
Renters told News 5 they were notified by property management company Yes Communities that the notices would be issued after tenants were one day late with the rent.
The notices informed tenants they had three days to vacate the premises, with eviction proceedings starting after they were more than five days late with rent payments.
Several renters in the community who received the notices, like Kyle Elkins, contacted News 5 and said they were stunned and alarmed by the new late rent notice policy, especially as the United States continues to suffer through the medical and economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It’s a shocker during a pandemic, where you shouldn't have to work about this, even though you are paying," Elkins said.
"There are some living here who are on a fixed income, they shouldn’t have to worry about an eviction notice on their door every month, just because they’re a day late.”
“It’s embarrassing, that’s what it is when you come home and you see people tape a notice to your door and think oh look, they’re not able to pay or they’re going to be evicted."
Colonial Oaks tenant Leighann Arroyo said she's wondering if the management company can enforce evictions during a federal COVID-19 eviction moratorium, just extended through March 31 by the government on Jan. 29.
Arroyo said some residents in the community are facing a COVID-19 related job loss or pay reductions.
“We do not know who actually owns the property, we have gone through three different management companies," Arroyo said.
“This place needs to be a little bit more understanding of people’s pay times and pay schedules.”
“They need to help the residents, if they want us to be valued customers like they put in writing, they need to start showing it.”
News 5 contacted the Colonial Oaks management office in Elyria multiple times to get its comment on the new late rent notification policy, but we were referred to Yes Communities corporate offices in Michigan. Multiple calls to company headquarters about the policy have yet to produce a response.
Meanwhile, the office Elyria Mayor Frank Whitfield said it takes this situation very seriously and responded to renter concerns, giving tenants information on rental assistance and what they need to do to sign-up for the federal eviction moratorium.
