Any help to our tenants?

[Jane A.]

Hello everybody, what is the reasonable response to the challenges of the current situation? Some tenants may be affected in a negative way. I heard some landlords sent toilet paper, some decided to not increase the rent this year.  What else could we do to help our tenants and our businesses?  Thank you

[JD Martin]

I think the reasonable response is to do nothing unless something needs to be done. If a tenant says they are temporarily furloughed because of the virus and short on money, you will have to make a judgment call on how to proceed, knowing that courts will probably not look favorably on you in an eviction hearing. Not that their failure to plan is your fault, but things are what they are. 

Beyond that, I wouldn't take any action that's unnecessary. The prudent thing to do from a landlord point of view is preserve cash that doesn't need to be spent.