Column: Hawaii landlords urged to offer help forward to renters

The second rent payment during the COVID-19 shutdown has come due. As difficult as the first one was for those who live paycheck-to-paycheck, this one doubles down on stress and anxiety.

While the unemployment rate across Hawaii has surpassed 37%, unemployment among renters is much higher. Now’s the time to do the right thing.

Taxpayers bailed out financial institutions, who bailed out homeowners through mortgage forbearances. Landlords must pass that support on to their tenants.

The federal government (via the CARES Act), Gov. David Ige and the Hawaii Judiciary have put into place varying limitations on evictions during this pandemic. The Hawaii Judiciary extended the closure of the courts that process evictions through the end of May, and perhaps longer. Tenants cannot be evicted from their home without a court order.

If a landlord brings a tenant to court for non-payment of rent, the judge should ask them to show evidence that they first took advantage of the options available to them — an SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan, insurance coverage for loss of revenue, or a CARES Act mortgage forbearance — before taking action against the tenant.

The intent embedded in the CARES Act is that when a landlord benefits from the social safety net, they must pay it forward to the tenant.

Even if a landlord could evict a tenant right now, chances are that unit would remain empty.

With the collapse of tourism, vacation rentals are returning to the long-term rental market, resulting in monthly rents dropping. A one bedroom in the urban core that may have rented for $1300 is now going for $900. Now’s the time for landlords to stick with the tenants they already know.

Tenants facing financial hardship right now should have a sincere conversation with their landlord. Starving to pay rent is not an option.

Candid conversations between landlords and tenants can reveal other safety nets. By not raising rents as tenants’ wages increase, the landlord makes it possible for tenants to save for hard times. Welcoming tenants to move in friends and family allows tenants to diversify and expand their household income.

With that additional security, a tenant might choose to give some of their work shifts to a co-worker with less seniority, who may be a single mom escaping an abusive relationship. People find ways to pitch in and pay it forward.

Some tenants are able to continue paying their full rent; landlords should express appreciation and let them know that their timely payments make it possible to extend compassion to those struggling. Again, paying it forward.

Tenants with Section 8 subsidies provide a safety net for landlords. The government guarantees that the full rent will be paid on time, even during an economic collapse. There’s always been a shortage of landlords willing to rent to Section 8 subsidized tenants, but given that this will not be the last pandemic, or the last recession, landlords might realize accepting these tenants is good for the community and their bottom line.

This pandemic exposes how interconnected we are: Our tenants may also be our first-responders, our food preparers, or our sanitation workers. We need to make sure everyone can afford to make choices to keep themselves healthy and protect the health of our community. Being houseless, being stressed out about being evicted, or going deeper into debt prolongs the pandemic.

Even during these challenging times, people find ways to step up, pitch in and pay it forward. Some are sewing masks, assembling face shields, or supporting food banks; and others are helping their tenants stay in their homes.

Kim Coco Iwamoto is owner of Affordable Quality Apartment Rentals (dba AQuA Rentals, LLC) and a community partner to Honolulu Tenants Union.