A New Jersey landlord with a heart of gold waived rent payments for three months to help his tenants cope with financial trouble amid the coronavirus crisis, according to a report.
“It provides a little bit of good news to people in a world where there’s no good news, and I think that’s meaningful,” David Placek, 39, told nj.com.
“The idea was just, let’s relieve some stress.”
Placek first sent an email to his 12 tenants in Montclair on March 18 offering them rent-free housing for the months of April and May.
“We hope to reduce your stress and anxiety by waiving all rent due for months of April and May. To be clear, you do not need to remit rent for these two months,” he wrote.
But earlier this week, he and his wife, Bridget, extended the offer through June because life doesn’t seem to be getting back to normal, he said.
“We should all do our part, and it’s something we can do.”
The economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic has caused massive layoffs and forced businesses to close, making it difficult for thousands of Americans to pay their bills.
According to a recent study, as many as 40 percent of all New Yorkers won’t be able to afford their rent after getting laid off due to the coronavirus.
In New Jersey, roughly 35 percent of residents rent their home or apartment, according to Census data.
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