Terrible tragedy for Sec. 8 tenant: how to respond?

[Nancy Roth]

I learned today that an 18-year-old man who was killed in a shooting in Baltimore on August 25 is the son of a Section 8 tenant of mine. 

At the time of the shooting none of the news accounts mentioned the victim’s name and I had no idea I had any connection to him. The tenant, who is almost completely uncommunicative except when something needs to be repaired, has not informed me. I'm not judging, just stating the fact, and noting it's not out of character for her. 

This morning I’d gone over to the property to meet a contractor to follow up on some repairs cited in a recent Sec. 8 inspection. A limo was parked on the block, but it was not in front of my property, and it pulled away immediately after I parked. A large vehicle, like a van, with a "funeral" sign in its windshield, followed close behind it. I didn’t see who was inside either vehicle and had the impression it was for a neighboring family.

The repairs were on the exterior of the house and we didn’t go inside. 

Later I saw in the Baltimore Sun online a news story about a funeral, and I recalled that limo.

So: why would the Baltimore Sun report on a funeral, you ask. Well, because as the mourners gathered at the burial spot, another shooting broke out in the cemetery, leaving one more man dead and another in critical condition. There’s a video of the mourners fleeing the area, scattering among the tombstones. 

It was the news story about these events today that provided the name of the August 25 shooting victim who was being laid to rest. I checked the lease, and there is the young man's name, with his birthdate in January 2000.

Horrible, yes. But hold on, there's more. I just learned this evening, via an Instagram sent by a colleague, that the person who was killed today at the young man's funeral, is the older brother. My tenant's other son, age 32. He's got a 7-year-old son.

I've never had anything like this in six years of landlording, so I'm looking for help here. How do I respond to a disaster of this magnitude? Can I continue the repairs at the house in the midst of this crisis? Do I inform her case worker? What is my role here? Leave them alone? Call? Send a card? None of the things I'd normally do for friends and family make sense. Has anyone had an experience like this? 

Add to this the uniquely corrupt bureaucratic environment of Baltimore City, Maryland (where I grew up)--and its creaky, barely functioning housing-voucher machinery. Would they force her to move into a smaller house? It's not a crazy question. I'm afraid for her and for the impact on, y'know, me.

Appreciate your thoughts.

Nancy Roth

[Thomas S.]

Continue with your work and when you see her simply express your condolences and instruct her to contact you if she needs anything. Otherwise stay out of her life. As a landlord you should only have a business relationship with your tenants.

I would contact her handlers and try to find out what if anything they will do in regards to their portion of your rent payment. Make plans for her to possible be forced to move. If her portion of the rent will increase you may be at risk.