Source: KQED
The Landlord and Tenant Branch court in Washington D.C. is one of the many courts around the country that demonstrates the daily trials of surviving in the most expensive cities in the US. The court sees a few hundred cases a day between landlords and tenants, often times a result of a missed payment of rent.
In 2015 alone, the court reviewed over 32,000 cases, some of which resulted in evictions and others in a compromise. KQED reports that the vast majority of the cases involve the poorest citizens, who can simply not afford to pay for rent with income from minimum-wage jobs.
While many of the cases result in evictions or tenants choosing to move out to find housing elsewhere, finding a compromise is sometimes equally as difficult. Landlords who rely on their tenants’ payments as income also suffer, especially if a tenant is living for free for a few months if a trial is extended. In addition, court fees combined with housing repairs could end up costing the landlord much more than simply not having anyone renting out the space.
Read full story at: KQED