Mentally Ill Tenant We Inherited Who is Also Section 8

[Becky Hiu]

Hey BP-folks!

Need some advice with a situation we're dealing with as landlords of a 6-plex we acquired 2 months ago. Inherited a crummy tenant base where everyone pays late half the time, including this Section 8 lady who only owes us $50 of the $650 rent (HUD/City pays $600). She's on a 1 year lease expiring end of May this year. Everyone is a smoker and the entire house reeks of smoke (which is unpleasant but manageable).

Issue with Section 8 lady isn't just the fact that she's late with the $50/month rent due but the fact she's making me feel uncomfortable as property manager/landlord. Let me explain why: Went over a week ago to collect rent from some other tenants and she was standing outside in the negative temp weather (we're based in Des Moines, IA) without a coat on. I asked her "what's up?" and she proceeded to explain to me that she's waiting for the cops to come as her ex-bf and his current gf were harassing her that day. She then pointed down the street saying that's them with weapons ... and I saw no one. I returned about 15 minutes later after chatting with some tenants and she was still waiting for the cops to come (unsure whether she even called them in the first place). I do know she's mentally ill and on meds.

I returned yesterday to attempt to collect her $50 but she started crying and said her ex has been harassing her the past few days and a tenant upstairs has been letting him up to the first floor (which doesn't make any sense as she lives on the ground floor and has no access to the first floor which needs a separate security key). She then proceeded to show me a picture on her phone of a tree and said "look, my ex has been hiding in that tree!" I saw no human in the tree on her phone. She also threatened to "murder" her ex if he tried to come when I was there last week. I saw a kitchen knife on the dining table by the door and was very wary of it, trying to keep my distance from her. I tried to cajole her as I know she needs to be heard. She kept saying she really needs someone with her, and might want to check into a mental facility. She said she tried to commit suicide a few days ago. I was incredibly uncomfortable with the entire situation as I'm a 5'2, 120 pound female and when she was chatting with me, it seems like she wasn't in a right frame of mind.

What should we do? I apologize that this is a very lengthy post but this is real life (we've been incredibly lucky to have bought vacant houses in the past and have selected our own tenant base. This time we inherited these tenants from the previous landlord). 

Thanks!