Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - Discussions continued in the Buffalo Common Council chambers during a Community Development Committee meeting regarding Councilmember Rasheed Wyatt's proposal to place a 6-month eviction moratorium in some area codes in the City of Buffalo.
"I've had a number of meetings with various agencies who are very much concern about evictions," said Councilman Wyatt.
"They validated what I saw, as far as the percentage in a University District of 55% [eviction rate], but what I do want to look at as far more detail is why it's been speculated that many of these evictions are being forced because the rents are being increased. I'd have to get more information."
There were a couple speakers on the matter, like Colleen Collins, who gave insight from a property manager or landlord's point-of-view.
"When the eviction moratorium began, our residents stopped paying the rent, even though they live in subsidized housing," she said. "All they needed to do was meet with our staff and get recertified and they would have received more funding. They didn't do that. They continued to not pay the rent. Although we had money coming in from HUD, that was only enough for us to pay our mortgage. It doesn't give us enough money to pay for the staff for the repairs."
She also said the good landlords and property managers worked really hard to reason with some of the tenants, but ultimately had to cut their losses.
"I think that there are better solutions to this both for tenants and for landlords," said Nathan Feist, Buffalo resident. "I think the city should work with a coalition of over 80 organizations called Housing Justice For All, which proposes these solutions. They would benefit and are sorely needed by all the zip codes in the city. I would love to see the council take on legislation rather than resolutions to solve this."
"I heard at times not just from landlords, but from people who literally took advantage of landlords and spent money and for whatever reason, didn't pay their rent," said Council President Darius Pridgen. "When the landlords finally got new tenants, they did have to raise the rent to pick up the pieces from the people who abuse the system. We literally would try to hand walk the residents through the process to do the paperwork, and they would not respond to the management office. I feel for landlords."
However, Council President Pridgen says there's a second side to it.
"That's the landlords that are raising rents just to evict. And I think that's really one of the biggest problems."
Going forward, Councilman Wyatt has scheduled an emergency meeting at the Greater Faith Bible Tabernacle this Thursday, March 2nd on 391 Edison Ave in Buffalo from 5:30 p.m. to 7, with various agencies to provide resources for those who have recently been evicted as well as hear more from the community.
The councilman is also going to address a letter to Governor Hochul to provide resources going forward and a plan of action for wrongfully convicted tenants, "I thought there were dollars still available to residents to landlords to pay their rent. From what I'm understanding, there is no more programs such as that. So here we are talking about 55% evictions, and there's no money for those landlords or for their tenants in these situations. So I'm very, very, very concerned."
The resolution was also sent to the Affordable Housing Task Force for further review before it comes to a vote with the full council.
"We want the right thing for our citizens, we just can't let people take advantage of those who are already vulnerable. And those are some of the landlords that are dealing with this situation. It's a balancing act, but I think working together, we can come up with something," said Councilman Wyatt.